in?" she said.

"He had to go out, but he'll be back before dinner."

Presently Queenie asked if she might go upstairs. As they went you could
see her quick, inquisitive eyes sweeping and flashing.

The door of Colin's room stood open.

"Is that Colin's room?"

"Yes."

She went in, opened the inner door and looked into the gable room.

"Who sleeps here?" she said.

"I do," said Anne.

"You?"

"Have you any objection?"

"You might as well sleep in my husband's room."

"Oh no, this is near enough. I can tell whether he's asleep or awake."

"_Can_ you? And, please, how long has this been going on?"

"I've been sleeping in this room since November. Before that we had our
old rooms at the Manor. There was a passage between, you remember. But
I left the doors wide open."

"Oh no, this is near enough. I can tell whether he's asleep or awake."

"Can you? And, please, how long has this been going on?"

"I've been sleeping in this room since November. Before that we had our
old rooms at the Manor. There was a passage between, you remember. But I
left the doors wide open."

"I suppose," said Queenie, with furious calm, "you want me to divorce
him?"

"Divorce him? Why on earth should you? Just because I looked after him
at night? I _had_ to. There wasn't anybody else. And he was afraid to
sleep alone. He is still. But he's all right as long as he knows I'm
there."

"You expect me to believe that's all there is in it?"

"No, I don't, considering what your mind's like."

"Oh yes, when people do dirty things it's always other people's dirty
minds. Do you imagine I'm a fool, Anne?"

"You're an awful fool if you think Colin's my lover."

"I think it, and I say it."

"If you think it you're a fool. If you say it you're a liar. A damned
liar."

"And is Colin's mother a liar, too?"

"Yes, but not a damned one. It would serve you jolly well right,
Queenie, if he _was_ my lover, after the way you left him to me."

"I didn't leave him to you. I left him to his mother."

"Anyhow, you left him."

"I couldn't help it. _You_ were not wanted at the front and I was. I
couldn't leave hundreds of wounded soldiers just for Colin."

"_I_ had to. He was in an awful state. I've looked after him day and
night; I've got him almost well now, and I think the least you can do is
to keep quiet and let him alone."

"I shall do nothing of the sort. I shall divorce him as soon as the
war's over."

"It isn't over yet. A