They went upstairs together closely linked.  They entered Vera’s room from which she imperiously dismissed her maid.  They sat down on the couch beside the fire.

“Do you remember that awful day when we quarrelled about Dick Green?” said Vera suddenly.

He kept her hand in his.  “Don’t!” he said.  “Don’t remind me of it!”

Her laugh had in it a thrill that was like a caress.  “Wasn’t I a pig, Edward?  And weren’t you a tyrant?  I haven’t seen you in one of your royal rages since.  I always rather admired them, you know.”

“I know you hated me,” he said, “and I’m not surprised.”

She made a face at him.  “Silly!  I didn’t.  I thought you the finest monster I had ever seen.  So you were—­quite magnificent.”  She put up a hand and stroked his iron-grey hair.  “Well, we shan’t quarrel about young Green any more,” she said.

“I wonder,” said the squire, not looking at her.

“I don’t.”  She spoke with confidence.  “I’m going to be tremendously nice to him—­not for Juliet’s sake—­for yours.”

“Thank you, my dear,” he said, with an odd humility of utterance that came strangely from him.  “I shall appreciate your kindness.  As you know—­I am very fond of Dick.”

“You were going to tell me why once,” she said.

He took her hand and held it for a moment.  “I will tell you to-night,” he said.

The maid came in again with a tea-tray, and they had no further intimate talk.  The squire became restless and walked about the room while he drank his cup.  When he had finished, he went away to his own, and Vera was left to dress.

Her maid was still putting the final touches when there came a low knock at the door.  She turned sharply from her mirror.

“Is that you, Juliet?  Come in!  Come in!”

Quietly the door opened, and Juliet entered.

“My dear!” said Vera, and met her impulsively in the middle of the room.

“I had to come up,” Juliet said.  “I hope you don’t mind, but neither Dick nor I can manage to feel like ordinary guests in this house.”

She was smiling as she spoke.  The white scarf was thrown back from her hair.  The gracious womanliness of her struck Vera afresh with its charm.

She held her and looked at her.  “My dear Juliet, it does me good to see you.  How is Dick?  And how is Columbus?”

“They are both downstairs,” Juliet said, “and one is working too hard and the other not hard enough.  I had to bring dear Christopher.  You don’t mind?”

“Of course not, my dear.  I would have sent him a special invitation if I had thought.  Come and take off your coat!  We got in rather late or I should have been downstairs to receive you.”

“Tell me how you are!” Juliet said.  “I don’t believe I have ever seen you looking so well.”

“I haven’t felt so well for years,” Vera declared.  “But I have promised Edward all the same to go up to town and see his pet doctor and make sure that the cure is complete.  Personally I am quite sure.  But Edward is such a dear old fusser.  He won’t be satisfied with appearances.”