and
Monday afternoon when Jane had promised that she would come to
Hampstead.

On Monday a telegram arrived for Tanqueray. The brisk director of a
great publishing firm in New York desired (at the last moment before his
departure) an appointment with the novelist for that afternoon. The
affair was of extreme importance. The American meant business. It would
be madness not to see him, even though he should miss Jinny.

All morning Tanqueray sulked because of that American.

Rose was cowed by his mood. At luncheon she prepared herself to sit dumb
lest she should irritate him. She had soft movements that would have
conciliated a worse ruffian than Tanqueray in his mood. She rebuked the
importunities of Joey in asides so tender that they couldn't have
irritated anybody. But Tanqueray remained irritated. He couldn't eat his
luncheon, and said so.

And then Rose said something, out loud. That wasn't her fault, she said.
And Tanqueray told her that he hadn't said it was. Then, maddened by her
thought, she (as she put it to herself afterwards) fair burst with it.

"I wish I'd never set eyes on that Susan!" said she.

Tanqueray at the moment was trying to make notes in his memorandum-book.
He might be able to cut short that interview if he started with all his
points clear.

"Oh--_hold_ your tongue," said Tanqueray.

"I _am_ 'oldin' it," said Rose.

He smiled at that in spite of himself. He was softened by its reminder
of her submissive dumbness, by its implication that there were, after
all, so many things she might have said and hadn't.

Having impressed upon her that she was on no account to let Mrs.
Brodrick go till he came back, he rushed for his appointment.

By rushing away from it, cutting it very short indeed, he contrived to
be back again at half-past four. Susan informed him that Mrs. Brodrick
had come. She had arrived at four with the baby and the nurse. She was
in there with the baby.

"The baby?"

Sounds of laughter came from the dining-room, rendering it unnecessary
for Susan to repeat her statement. She smiled sidelong at the door, as
much as to say she had put her master on to a good thing. He would
appreciate what he found in there.

In there he found Jinny crouching on a footstool; facing her, Rose knelt
upon the floor. In the space between them, running incessantly to and
fro on his unsteady feet, was Brodrick's little son. When he got to
Jinny he flung his arms around her neck and kissed he