When she had read and mused for more than an hour, Alma tore out the two passages that had a personal interest for her, and put them in her purse.  The papers she left lying for anyone who chose to pick them up.

A fortnight later she was back at Gunnersbury; where, indeed, she would have been content to stay all through the summer, had not Harvey and the doctor insisted on her leaving home.  All sorts of holidays had been proposed, but nothing of the kind attracted her.  She declared that she was quite well, and that she preferred home to anywhere else; she had got used to it, and did not wish to be unsettled.  Six weeks at Penzance simply wearied her; she brightened wonderfully on the day of return.  Harvey, always anxious, tried to believe that the great sorrow through which she had passed was effecting only a natural change, subduing her troublesome mutability of temper, and leading her to find solace in domestic quietude.

On the third day after her return, she had lunched alone, and was sitting in the library.  Her dress, more elaborate than usual, and the frequent glances which she cast at the clock, denoted expectation of some arrival.  Hearing a knock at the front door, she rose and waited nervously.

‘Mr. Dymes is in the drawing-room, mum.’

She joined him.  Dymes, with wonted frankness, not to say impudence, inspected her from head to foot, and did not try to conceal surprise.

’I was awfully glad to get your note.  As I told you, I called here about a month ago, and I should have called again.  I didn’t care to write until I heard from you.  You’ve been ill, I can see.  I heard about it.  Awfully sorry.’

Alma saw that he intended respectful behaviour.  The fact of being in her own house was, of course, a protection, but Dymes, she quite understood, had altered in mind towards her.  She treated him distantly, yet without a hint of unfriendliness.

’I began to wonder whether I had missed a letter of yours.  It’s some time since you promised to write —­ on business.’

‘The fact is,’ he replied, ’I kept putting it off, hoping to see you, and it’s wonderful how time slips by.  I can hardly believe that it’s more than a year since your recital.  How splendidly it came off!  If only you could have followed it up —­ but we won’t talk about that.’

He paused for any remark she might wish to make.  Alma, dreamy for a moment, recovered herself, and asked, in a disinterested tone ——­

‘We paid all expenses, I suppose?’

‘Well —­ not quite.’

‘Not quite?  I understood from you that there was no doubt about it.’

‘I thought,’ said Dymes, as he bent forward familiarly, ’that my silence would let you know how matters stood.  If there had been anything due to you, of course I should have sent a cheque.  We did very well indeed, remarkably well, but the advertising expenses were very heavy.’  He took a paper from his pocket.  ’Here is the detailed account.  I shouldn’t have spent so much if I hadn’t regarded it as an investment.  You had to be boomed, you know —­ floated, and I flatter myself I did it pretty well.  But, of course, as things turned out ——­’