‘Of course; how thoughtless!’

And they laughed, and were in the best of tempers.

On the morrow, Sunday, they walked together as they had used to do in the first spring after their marriage; along the grassy cliffs, then down to the nook where the sand is full of tiny shells, and round the little headland into the next bay, where the quaint old fishing-village stands upon the edge of the tide.  And Alma was again in love, and held her husband’s hand, and said the sweetest things in the most wonderful voice.  She over-tired herself a little, so that, when they ascended the cliff again, Harvey had to support her; and in the sunny solitude she thanked him with her lips —­ in two ways.

It was a second honeymoon.

CHAPTER 4

Mrs. Frothingham’s sister, who lived near Basingstoke, gave a warm welcome to little Hugh Rolfe; and Mrs. Frothingham, who had all but forgotten that the child was not really her grandson, took charge of him with pride and joy.  He stayed a week; he stayed a fortnight; —­ he stayed two months.

For when the Carnabys —­ who landed at Plymouth and rested there for a couple of days —­ made known their intention of straightway taking a flat in town, it seemed to Alma that the very best thing for her health would be to spend a week or two in London, and see her old friends, and go to a few concerts.  The time was favourable, for June had only just set in.  Harvey, nothing loath, took his wife to a quiet hotel in the Portman Square region, whither also went their friends from abroad; his project being to look for furnished rooms, where child and nurse could join them.  But Mrs. Frothingham thought it a pity of pities to take little Hugh into the town, when all was so pleasantly arranged for him down in Hampshire; and, as Alma evidently inclined to the same view, the uninviting thought of ‘apartments’ was laid aside.  They might as well remain at the hotel, said Harvey.  Alma, with a pretty show of economical hesitation, approved the plan, saying that she would be quite ready to go home again when Sibyl had established herself in a flat.  This event came to pass in about three weeks; the Carnabys found a flat which suited them very well at Oxford and Cambridge Mansions, and thither, with the least possible delay, transferred a portion of their furniture, which had lain in warehouse.  Thereupon, sweetly reasonable, Mrs. Rolfe made known that it was time to fetch her baby and return to Carnarvonshire.  She felt incalculably better; the change had been most refreshing; now for renewed enjoyment of her dear home!

But Harvey wore his wisest countenance; no owl could have surpassed it for sage gravity.

’You are very much better, and don’t you think you would be better still after another week or two?  The concerts are in full swing; it seems a pity —­ now you are here ——­’

Alma looked gracefully reluctant.  Were not the hotel expenses rather heavy?