George ran to the door, which the feverish parlourmaid had neglected to shut.  His mother, mounting the steps, was struck full in the face by the apparition of her son in uniform.  The Alderman, behind her, cried mockingly to cover his emotion:  “Hal_lo_!  Hal_lo_!”

“When did you come up?” asked George quietly, taking his mother’s hand and kissing her.  She slid past him into the house.  Her eyes were moist.

“Last night,” the Alderman answered.  “Last train.  Your mother’s idea.  All of a sudden.  Thought you might be leaving.”

“Well, I am,” said George.  “I have to report at Headquarters at Wimbledon by twelve o’clock.  It’s rather a good thing you’ve come.  Lois is ill.  Oh!  Here’s my taxi.”  The parlourmaid had driven up.

“Ill!” exclaimed Mrs. Clayhanger.

“Yes.  I’ve sent for the doctor, and he’s sent for the nurse.  I’m expecting the nurse every minute.”

“You don’t mean to say—­” Mrs. Clayhanger began.

George nodded.

“She must have had a shock.  I knew what it would be for her.  It’s all very well, but—­” Mrs. Clayhanger again left a sentence unfinished.

“I’ve sent for Laurencine too,” said George.  “She also may be here any minute.”

“Oh!” said the old lady tartly.  “I can stay as long as you like, you know.  Lois and I get on splendidly.”

It was true.  They had had one enormous quarrel, which had mysteriously ended by both of them denying superiorly to all males that any quarrel had ever occurred.

“Well, come into the dining-room.”

“I think I’ll go up and see Lois at once,” said Mrs. Clayhanger.

“The doctor’s there.”

“What if he is?”

The Alderman put in: 

“Now look here, missis.  Don’t startle her.”

Mrs. Clayhanger exhaled impatient scorn and went upstairs.

“This your stuff?” the Alderman questioned, pointing with his stick to the kit-bag and strange packages on the hall floor.

“Yes,” said George, and to the parlourmaid:  “You can put it all in the taxi, May.  Come along in, uncle.”

“Don’t hurry me, boy.  Don’t hurry me.”

“Where are you staying?”

“Russell ...  Bit awkward, this about Lois!”

They were now within the dining-room.

“Yes.”  In the presence and under the influence of his people George at once ceased to be an expansive Londoner, and reverted to the character of the Five Towns.

“I suppose she’ll be all right?”

“Doctor seems to think so.”

“Yes.  They generally are.”  The Alderman sighed pleasantly and dropped rather heavily into a chair.

“Have a cigarette?”

“No!” The Alderman refused regretfully.  “I’ve got a new rule now.  I don’t smoke till after dinner.”

There was a pause.

“I’m glad we came.”

“So’m I.”

“You needn’t worry about anything.  Your mother and I will see to everything.  I’ll go up and have a talk with Johnnie about the leases.”