, that is, Rose came with him. But
even so, what a running away. No, he couldn't.

When they got to the dining-room Mrs. Fisher went to the head of
the table--was this Mrs. Fisher's house? He asked himself. He didn't
know; he didn't know anything--and Rose, who in her earlier day of
defying Mrs. Fisher had taken the other end as her place, for after all
no one could say by looking at a table which was its top and which its
bottom, led Frederick to the seat next to her. If only, he thought, he
could have been alone with Rose; just five minutes more alone with
Rose, so that he could have asked her--

But probably he wouldn't have asked her anything, and only gone
on kissing her.

He looked round. The sandy young woman was telling the man they
called Briggs to go and sit beside Mrs. Fisher--was the house, then,
the sandy young woman's and not Mrs. Fisher's? He didn't know; he
didn't know anything--and she herself sat down on Rose's other side, so
that she was opposite him, Frederick, and next to the genial man who
had said "Here we are," when it was only too evident that there they
were indeed.

Next to Frederick, and between him and Briggs, was an empty
chair: Lady Caroline's. No more than Lady Caroline knew of the
presence in Frederick's life of Rose was Rose aware of the presence in
Frederick's life of Lady Caroline. What would each think? He didn't
know; he didn't know anything. Yes, he did know something, and that
was that his wife had made it up with him--suddenly, miraculously,
unaccountably, and divinely. Beyond that he knew nothing. The
situation was one with which he felt he could not cope. It must lead
him whither it would. He could only drift.

In silence Frederick ate his soup, and the eyes, the large
expressive eyes of the young woman opposite, were on him, he could
feel, with a growing look in them of inquiry. They were, he could see,
very intelligent and attractive eyes, and full, apart from the inquiry
of goodwill. Probably she thought he ought to talk--but if she knew
everything she wouldn't think so. Briggs didn't talk either. Briggs
seemed uneasy. What was the matter with Briggs? And Rose too didn't
talk, but then that was natural. She never had been a talker. She had
the loveliest expression on her face. How long would it be on it after
Lady Caroline's entrance? He didn't know; he didn't know anything.

But the genial man on Mrs. Fisher's left was talking enough for
eve