und that Mr. Gaythorne
preferred her to come alone.

"Miss Williams is all very well," he said once, "and we are always
pleased to see her, but I like my pleasures singly; besides, Alwyn
always monopolizes her. Invalids are allowed to be exacting, so I may
tell you plainly that I like to have you to myself," and after that
Olivia went alone.

It was always a pleasure to her to go there, she had such a warm
welcome from the father and son, and it did her heart good to see the
light of happiness in the old man's eyes, he seemed hardly able to bear
his son out of his sight. Alwyn's health, his comforts and his tastes
were his chief topics of conversation. One day he made Alwyn take her
upstairs and show her the new studio that had been planned; two rooms
were to be thrown into one, and a fresh window put in.

Directly the work was commenced he and Alwyn were going to Bournemouth
for a few weeks. The sea-voyage had been postponed for the present.
Mr. Gaythorne fretted himself at the idea of parting so soon with his
boy, and he hated the thought of his going alone.

"If there were someone to look after him," he would say to Dr.
Luttrell; "but I feel as though I could never trust him to take care of
himself again; look at him, he is a perfect wreck." And though Marcus
still held to his opinion that a long voyage would be his best remedy,
he thought it more prudent to wait a little, and on his side Alwyn
seemed reluctant to go.

"I have been too much my ain lane already," he said; "I should prefer
to stay at home a little longer," and then Bournemouth was selected as
a compromise. Mrs. Crampton would go with them, and, at Mr.
Gaythorne's request, Marcus went down first and chose their rooms.

"Why not go from Saturday to Monday, and take your wife down? I will
frank your expenses," he said, "and the little trip will do you both
good." And though Marcus hesitated over this, as Martha was too young
to be trusted with the care of Dot, Greta came to the rescue by
undertaking to look after the child.

Olivia could scarcely believe her ears when this magnificent project
was unfolded to her. Two whole days with Marcus by the sea! And they
had neither of them had an outing since their modest wedding-trip,--a
week at St. Leonards.

"It will be another honeymoon," she said, flushing with pleasure. And
as they sat together in the hotel garden that Saturday evening, she
thought of the humble lodging to which Marcus ha