But something of Muriel’s mood she understood on that bitter night in January on which they awaited the coming of Blake Grange, and her close hand-pressure conveyed as much as they passed out together into the little hall that glowed so snugly in the firelight.

“He is sure to be frozen, poor boy,” she said.  “I hope Jim Ratcliffe won’t forget to send the motor to the station as he promised.”

“I am quite sure he never forgets anything,” Muriel declared, with reassuring confidence.

Daisy laughed lightly.  “Yes, he’s very dependable, deliciously solid, isn’t he?  A trifle domineering perhaps, but all doctors are.  They rule us weak women with a rod of iron.  I am a little afraid of Dr. Jim myself, and most unfortunately he knows it.”

Muriel’s silence expressed a certain scepticism that provoked another laugh from Daisy.  She was almost frivolously light-hearted that night.

“It’s a fact, I assure you.  Have you never noticed how docile I am in his presence?  I always feel as if I want to confess all my sins to him.  I should like intensely to have his opinion upon some of them.  I think it would do me good.”

“Then why not ask for it?” suggested Muriel.

“For the reason aforementioned—­a slavish timidity.”  Daisy broke off to carol a few bars of a song.  “I’ve known the Ratcliffe family ever since I became engaged to Will,” she said presently.  “Jim Ratcliffe, you know, was left his guardian, and he was always very good to him.  Will made his home with them and he and Nick are great pals, just like brothers.  I should think Dr. Jim had his hands full with the two of them.”  Again Daisy stopped to sing.  Muriel was stooping over the fire.  It was seldom that Nick’s name was mentioned between them, though the fact that Daisy had placed herself and her baby in the hands of his half-brother formed a connecting link which could not always be ignored.  She always dropped into silence when a reference was made to him.  Not in the most casual conversation had Daisy ever heard her utter his name.

Having successfully fixed her message of welcome in a prominent position, she joined the girl in front of the fire.  Her face was flushed and her eyes were sparkling.  Muriel thought that she had never seen her look so well or so happy.

“You’re quite excited,” she said.

Daisy put up a hand to her hot cheek.  “Yes, isn’t it absurd?  I hope Dr. Jim won’t come with him, or he will be cross.  But I can’t help it.  Blake and I have been chums all our lives, and of course I am glad to see him after all this while.  So nice, too, not to have Lady Bassett looking on.”

There was a spice of venom in this, over which Muriel smiled in her sad way.

“Does she disapprove?” she asked.

Daisy nodded impatiently.  “She chose altogether to overlook the fact that we are first cousins.  It was intolerable.  But—­” again came her light laugh—­“everything is intolerable till you learn to shrug your shoulders and laugh.  Hark!  Surely I heard something!”