"She won't be practical--she won't know
the things that ought to be done--I'll wait a little and then I'll go."

Then she slept. She awoke with a clear active brain; she felt as though
she could be awake now for weeks--a tremendous energy filled her....

She left her room and at the turn of the passage met a thick-set
clean-shaven man whom she knew for Cramp--one of the most famous of the
London doctors, a man whom she had sometimes seen with Christopher at
the Portland Place house.

She stopped him--"I'm Miss Rand, Doctor--Lady Adela's secretary--we've
met in London--I want you to tell me how I can help."

He shook hands with her, eyeing her with approval--

"Why, yes, of course--How do you do, Miss Rand? Yes, you're just the
sort we want. For the moment Lady Seddon's my chief anxiety--she's borne
up splendidly so far, but now I am a little afraid. I've got her to go
and lie down--would you go to her, Miss Rand? Just be with her a little
and let me know if anything happens----"

"Sir Roderick?"

"Pretty bad, I'm afraid--He'll live, I think--afraid will never run
about, though, again."

Lizzie made her way to Rachel's bedroom. She paused outside the door.
This was the very hardest thing that she had ever, in all her life, had
to do. If Rachel were to repulse her now it would surely be the final
absolute proof that she was of no use, no use to anyone in this whole
wide world.

She knocked on the door and went in. "Who's that?"

"It's I--Lizzie."

The room was dark, but she saw that Rachel was lying on the bed--she
went up to her--Rachel did not move.

"I came," Lizzie said, "to see whether I could help--if I could do
anything----"

Rachel said nothing--

"If you'd rather--if you don't want to see me, of course just say...."

Rachel turned over and Lizzie heard her say--"I did it--I wanted him--it
was my fault--it was my fault."

Lizzie knelt down beside the bed. "Rachel dear, you mustn't think that.
It was nothing to do with anyone. But you can help him now,
Rachel--He'll want you, he'll need you now as he's never wanted anyone."

Rachel gave a bitter cry--Her hand touched Lizzie's, then she flung up
her arm, caught Lizzie's neck, drew her towards her, put both her arms
around her and held her, held her as though she would never let her go.

BOOK III

RODDY

CHAPTER I

REGENT'S PARK--BRETON AND LIZZIE

"Yes," said Mrs. Bright, "he missed it all the time."

"Missed what