were nearer
London! But, then, it wouldn't be Welsley."

"Now I know you'll go I can't take you away."

"Did you--what did you think I should do?"

"How could I tell?"

He sat down and took her hands.

"Rose, you've made this the happiest day of my life."

"Do you mean because----?"

She stopped. Her face became very grave, almost severe. She looked at
him, but he felt that she was really looking inward upon herself. When
at last he let go her hands she said:

"Dion, you are very different from what you were when you went to the
war. If I seem different, too, it's because of that, I think."

"War changes women, perhaps, as well as men," he said tenderly.

They sat by the fire in the quiet old room and talked of the future
and of all the stages of Robin: as schoolboy, as youth, as budding
undergraduate, as man.

"Perhaps he'll be a soldier-man as his father has been," said Rosamund.

"Do you wish it?"

She looked at him steadily for a moment. Then she said:

"Yes, if it helps him as I think it has helped you. I expect when men go
to fight for their country they go, perhaps without knowing it, to fight
just for themselves."

"I believe everything we do for others, without any thought of
ourselves, we do for ourselves," he said, very seriously.

"Altruism! But then I ought to live in London for you, and you in
Welsley for me."

They both laughed. Nothing had been absolutely decided; and yet it
seemed as if through that laughter a decision had been reached about
everything really important.

CHAPTER IX

A dogcart from Harrington's had been ordered to be "round" the next
day at noon. Dion had decided against a long day's shooting on Robin's
account. He must not tire the little chap. In truth it would be
impossible to take the shooting seriously, with Robin there all the
time, clinging on to Jane and having to be looked after.

"It's going to be Robin's day," Dion said the next morning. "When are
you going to tell him?"

"Directly after breakfast. By the way, Dion,"--she spoke carelessly, and
was opening a letter while she spoke,--"I'm not coming."

"Oh, but you must!"

"No; I'll stay quietly here. I have lots of things to do."

"But Robin's first day as a sportsman!"

"He isn't going to shoot," she said with a mother's smile.

"Why won't you come? You've got some very special reason."

"Perhaps I have, but I'm not going to tell it. Women aren't wanted
everywhere. Sometimes a couple of