“You shouldn’t lock your door, Nollie:  I was quite frightened.  I went round to the hospital to bring you home, and they told me about your fainting.  I want you to see a doctor.”

Noel shook her head vigorously.  “Oh, no!  It’s nothing!”

“Nothing?  To faint like that?  Come, my child.  To please me.”  He took her face in his hands.  Noel shrank away.

“No, Daddy.  I won’t see a doctor.  Extravagance in wartime!  I won’t.  It’s no good trying to make me.  I’ll come down if you like; I shall be all right to-morrow.”

With this Pierson had to be content; but, often that evening, she saw him looking at her anxiously.  And when she went up, he came out of his study, followed to her room, and insisted on lighting her fire.  Kissing her at the door, he said very quietly: 

“I wish I could be a mother to you, my child!”

For a moment it flashed through Noel:  ‘He knows!’ then, by the puzzled look on his face, she knew that he did not.  If only he did know; what a weight it would be off her mind!  But she answered quietly too; “Good night, Daddy dear!” kissed him, and shut the door.

She sat down before the little new fire, and spread her hands out to it; all was so cold and wintry in her heart.  And the firelight flickered on her face, where shadows lay thick under her eyes, for all the roundness of her cheeks, and on her slim pale hands, and the supple grace of her young body.  And out in the night, clouds raced over the moon, which had come full once more.

VI

1

Pierson went back to his study, and wrote to Gratian.

“If you can get leave for a few days, my dear, I want you at home.  I am troubled about Nollie.  Ever since that disaster happened to her she has been getting paler; and to-day she fainted.  She won’t see a doctor, but perhaps you could get her to see George.  If you come up, he will surely be able to run up to us for a day or two.  If not, you must take her down to him at the sea.  I have just seen the news of your second cousin Charlie Pierson’s death; he was killed in one of the last attacks on the Somme; he was nephew of my cousin Leila whom, as you know, Noel sees every day at her hospital.  Bertram has the D. S. O. I have been less hard-pressed lately; Lauder has been home on leave and has taken some Services for me.  And now the colder weather has come, I am feeling much fresher.  Try your best to come.  I am seriously concerned for our beloved child.  “Your affectionate father “Edward Pierson.”

Gratian answered that she could get week-end leave, and would come on Friday.  He met her at the station, and they drove thence straight to the hospital, to pick up Noel.  Leila came to them in the waiting-room, and Pierson, thinking they would talk more freely about Noel’s health if he left them alone, went into the recreation room, and stood watching a game of bagatelle between two convalescents.  When he returned to the little sitting-room they were still standing by the hearth, talking in low voices.  Gratian must surely have been stooping over the fire, for her face was red, almost swollen, and her eyes looked as if she had scorched them.