‘Nay, but I am thinking we owe much of our comfort to you,’ she answered simply.  ’You worked upon her feelings first, and then Providence sent that sharp message to her.  And we have to be grateful to the doctor, too.  What do you think, Miss Garston?  He is our landlord now, and he won’t take a farthing of rent from us.  He says we are doing him a kindness by living in the house, and that he only wished his other tenants took as much care of his property; but of course I know what that means.’  And here Susan’s thin hands shook a little.  ’The doctor is just a man whose right hand does not know what his left hand does; he is just heaping us with benefits, and making us ashamed with his kindness.’

‘You are a great favourite of his,’ I answered, smiling, as I took my leave; but Susan answered solemnly,—­

’It won’t be forgotten in his account, Miss Garston.  The measure running over will surely be returned to him, and not only to him.’  And here she looked at me meaningly, and pressed my hand.  Poor Susan! she had grown very fond of her nurse.

As I walked up to Gladwyn that afternoon I felt a pleasant sense of excitement, a sort of holiday feeling, that was novel to me.  Miss Darrell was away, and Gladys and Lady Betty would be at their ease.  We might look and talk as we liked, no one would find fault with us.

I was pleased, too, at the thought of seeing Mr. Hamilton again.  I was in the mood to be gay:  perhaps the summer sunshine infected me, for who could be dull on such a day?  There was not a cloud in the sky, the birds were singing, the rooks were cawing among the elms, the very sparrows had a jaunty look and cheeped busily in the ivy.  As I approached Gladwyn, I saw Mr. Hamilton leaning on the gate:  he looked as though he had been standing there some time.

‘Were you watching for me?’ I asked, rather thoughtlessly, as he threw the gate open with a smile and shook hands with me.  I had asked the question quite innocently and casually; but the next moment I felt hot and ashamed.  Why had I supposed such a thing?  Why should Mr. Hamilton be watching for me?

He did not seem to notice my confusion:  he looked very glad to see me.  I think he was in a gay mood too.

’Yes, I was looking for you.  You are a little late, do you know that?  I was just meditating whether I should walk down the road to meet you.  Come and take a turn with me on this shady little lawn.  Gladys and Lady Betty are arranging the tea-table, and are not quite ready for us.’

He led the way to the little lawn in front of the house.  Gladwyn was surrounded with charming lawns:  the avenue of young oaks was at the back.  We could catch glimpses of Lady Betty’s white gown as she flitted backward and forward.  The front window of Mr. Hamilton’s study was before us.

‘Well,’ he said, looking at me brightly, ’we are all glad to welcome Nurse Ursula back:  the three weeks have seemed very long somehow.’