She was thankful that the advent of a nurse made it impossible for the Vicar to remain, and she parted from him with almost open relief.

“We must bow to the Supreme Will,” he said, with his heavy sigh.

And again Avery was silent.

“I fear you are rebellious,” he said with severity.

“Good-bye!” said Avery.

Her heart bled more for Mrs. Lorimer than for herself just then.  She knew by instinct that she would not be allowed to come to her child.

The nurse was middle-aged and kindly, and both she and Jeanie liked her from the outset.  She took the night duty, and the day was Avery’s, a division that pleased them all.

Mr. Lorimer had demurred about having a nurse at all, but Avery had swept the objection aside.  Jeanie was in her care, and she would provide all she needed.  Mr. Lorimer had conceded the point as gracefully as possible, for it seemed that for once his will could not be regarded as paramount.  Of course, as he openly reflected, Lady Evesham was very much in their debt, and it was but natural that she should welcome this opportunity to repay somewhat of their past kindness to her.

So, for the first time in her life, little Jeanie was surrounded with all that she could desire; and very slowly, like a broken flower coaxed back to life, she revived again.

It could scarcely be regarded in the light of an improvement.  It was just a fluctuation that deceived neither Avery nor the nurse; but to the former those days were infinitely precious.  She clung to them hour by hour, refusing to look ahead to the desolation that was surely coming, cherishing her darling with a passion of devotion that excluded all other griefs.

The long summer days slipped away.  June passed like a dream.  Jeanie lay in the tiny garden with her face to the sea, gazing forth with eyes that were often heavy and wistful but always ready to smile upon Avery.  The holiday-task was put away, not because Mr. Lorimer had remitted it, but because Avery—­with rare despotism—­had insisted upon removing it from her patient’s reach.

“Not till you are better, darling,” she said.  “That is your biggest duty now, just to get back all the strength you can.”

And Jeanie had smiled her wistful, dreamy smile, and submitted.

Avery sometimes wondered if she knew of the great Change that was drawing so rapidly near.  If so, it had no terrors for her; and she thanked God that the Vicar was not at hand to terrify the child.  The journey from Rodding to Stanbury Cliffs was not an easy one by rail, and parish matters were fortunately claiming his attention very fully just then.  As he himself had remarked more than once, he was not the man to permit mere personal matters to interfere with Duty, and many a weak soul depended upon his ministrations.

So Jeanie was left entirely to Avery’s motherly care while the golden days slipped by.