fruit was so deleterious."

Hannah considered Hugo's impenetrable gloom a most proper and husbandly
tribute to the departed. She felt that had there been a Mr. Hannah she
could not have wished him to show more proper feeling had Providence
thought fit to snatch her from his side. So she expressed her admiration
in the strongest of soups, the smoothest of custards, and the most
succulent of mutton-chops. Gladly would she have commanded Mrs. Earley
to slay her fattest cockerels for the nourishment of "yon poor
heartbroken young man," but that she remembered (from her experience of
Fay's only visit) that no one just home from India will give a thank-you
for chickens.

Jan had cause to bless kind Mr. Withells, for directly Hugo was able for
it, he came with his largest and most comfortable car, driven by his
trustworthy chauffeur, to take the invalid for a run right into
Wiltshire. He pressed Jan to go too, but she pleaded "things to see to"
at home.

Hugo had seen practically nothing of Meg. She was fully occupied in
keeping the children out of their father's way. Little Fay "pooah
daddied" him when they happened to meet, and Tony stared at him in the
weighing, measuring way Hugo found so trying, but Meg neither looked at
him nor did she address any remark whatever to him unless she positively
could not help it.

Meg was thoroughly provoked that he should have chosen to turn up just
then. She had been most anxious that Peter should come. Firstly,
because, being sharply observant, she had come to the conclusion that
his visit would be a real pleasure to Jan, and secondly, because she
ardently desired to see him herself that she might judge whether he was
"at all good enough."

And now her well-loved Jan, instead of looking her best, was growing
thin and haggard, losing her colour, and her sweet serenity, and in
their place a patient, tired expression in her eyes that went to Meg's
heart.

She had hardly seen Jan alone for over a week; for since Hugo came
downstairs Meg had taken all her meals with the children in the nursery,
while Jan and Hugo had theirs in the rarely-used dining-room. The girls
breakfasted together, as Hugo had his in his room, but as the children
were always present there was small chance of any confidential
conversation.

The first afternoon Mr. Withells took Hugo for a drive, Meg left her
children in Earley's care the minute she heard the car depart, and went
to look for Jan in the house.