that? Thyrza
had so much to occupy her; it was not wonderful that she took for
granted Mr. Boddy's well-being. And would it be justifiable to impose a
burden of this kind upon the newly-married pair? To be sure she could
earn enough to pay for the little that Mr. Boddy needed. Thyrza had
almost angrily rejected the idea that her sister should pay rent in the
new house; payment for board she would only accept because Lydia
declared that if it were not accepted she would live elsewhere. So
there would remain a margin for the old man's needs. But his presence
in the house was the difficulty. It might be very inconvenient, and in
any ease such a proposal ought to come from Gilbert first of all. The
old man, moreover, was very sensitive on the point involved; such a
change would have to be brought about with every delicacy. Still, it
must come to that before long.

Perhaps the best would be to wait until Thyrza was actually married,
and discover how the household arrangements worked. Thyrza herself
would then perhaps notice the old man's failing strength.

Lydia went to see him on Sunday afternoon. The bright day suggested to
her that she should take him out for a walk. She had waited until Mary
would be away at the school. Mr. Bower lay on the sofa snoring: the
after-smell of roast beef and cabbage was heavy in the air of the room.
Mrs. Bower would have also slept but for the necessity of having an eye
to the shop, which was open on Sunday as on other days; her drowsiness
made her irritable, and she only muttered as Lydia went through to the
staircase. Lydia had come this way for the sake of appearances; she
resolved that on the next occasion she would ring Mr. Boddy's bell at
the side door. Upstairs, the old man was reading his thumbed Bible. He
never went to a place of worship, but read the Bible on Sunday without
fail.

He was delighted to go out into the sunshine.

'And when did the little one get back?' he asked, as he drew out his
overcoat--the Christmas gift--from a drawer in which it was carefully
folded.

'Why, what do you think? She won't be back till tomorrow. Yesterday,
when I got back from work, there was a telegraph waiting for me. It was
from the lady at Eastbourne, Mrs. Ormonde, and just said she was going
to keep Thyrza till Monday, because it would do her good. How she will
be enjoying herself!

They left the house by the private door and went in the direction of
the river. Lydia ordinarily walked