Marwitz, and heard from her, constantly. Madame
von Marwitz sent her presents from Paris; a wonderful white silk
dressing-gown; a box of chocolate; a charming bit of old enamel picked
up in a _rive gauche_ curiosity shop. Then one day she wrote to say that
Tallie had been quite ill--_povera vecchia_--and would Karen be a kind,
kind child and run down and see her at Les Solitudes.

Gregory had not forgotten the plan for having Mrs. Talcott with them
that winter and had reminded Karen of it, but it appeared then that she
had not forgotten, either; had indeed, spoken to Tante of it; but that
Tante had not seemed to think it a good plan. Tante said that Mrs.
Talcott did not like leaving Les Solitudes; and, moreover, that she
herself, might be going down there for the inside of a week at any
moment and Karen knew how Tallie would hate the idea of not being on the
spot to prepare for her. Let them postpone the idea of a visit; at all
events until she was no longer in England.

Gregory now suggested that Karen might bring Mrs. Talcott back with her.
There was some guile in the suggestion. Encircling this little oasis of
peace where he and Karen could, at all events, draw their breaths, were
storms and arid wastes. Madame von Marwitz would soon be back. She might
even be thinking of redeeming her promise of coming to stay with them.
If old Mrs. Talcott, slightly invalided, could be installed before the
great woman's return, she might keep her out for the rest of her stay in
London, and must, certainly, keep Karen in to a greater extent than when
she had no guest to entertain.

Karen could not suspect his motive; he saw that from her frank look of
pleasure. She promised to do her best. It was worth while, he reflected,
to lose her for a few days if she were to bring back such a bulwark as
Mrs. Talcott might prove herself to be. And, besides, he would be
sincerely glad to see the old woman. The thought of her gave him a sense
of comfort and security.

He saw Karen off next morning. She was to be at Les Solitudes for three
or four days, and on the second day of her stay he had his first letter
from her. It was strange to hear from her again, from Cornwall. It was
the first letter he had had from Karen since their marriage and, with
all its odd recalling of the girlish formality of tone, it was a sweet
one. She had found Mrs. Talcott much better, but still quite weak and
jaded, and very glad indeed to see her. And Mrs. Talcott