At home they awaited her in surprise at her unpunctuality.  Mrs. Grail could not say when she had left the house.  All the morning Thyrza had sat upstairs by herself.  Just when Gilbert was on the point of departure, the missing one appeared.

‘Where have you been, child?’ cried Lydia.  ’Why, it’s begun to rain; you’re all wet!’

‘I went further than I meant to,’ Thyrza replied, throwing off her hat, and at once taking a seat at the table.  ’I hope you didn’t wait for me.  I forgot the time.’

‘That was with thinking of the concert to-night,’ said Gilbert, laughing.

‘I shouldn’t wonder,’ assented Lydia.

Thyrza smiled, but offered no further excuse.  Gilbert and Lydia left the room and the house together.  Their directions were opposite, but Gilbert went a few steps Lydia’s way.

‘I want you to alter your mind and go with us to-night,’ he said.

’No, really!  It isn’t worth the expense, Gilbert.  I don’t care so much for music.’

’The expense is only a shilling.  And Thyrza won’t be quite happy without you.  I want her to enjoy herself without any reserve.  You’ll come?’

‘Well.  But—­’

‘All right.  Be ready both of you by half-past six.’

They nodded a good-bye to each other.

Thyrza was making believe to eat her dinner.  Mrs. Grail saw what a pretence it was.

‘Was there ever such an excitable child!’ she said, affectionately.  ’Now do eat something more, dear!  I shall tell Gilbert he must never let you know beforehand when he’s going to take you anywhere.’

But Thyrza had no appetite.  She helped the old lady to clear the table, then ran upstairs.

It was an unspeakable relief to be alone.  She had never known such a painful feeling of guilt as whilst she sat with Gilbert and Lydia regarding her.  Yet why?  Her secret, she tried to assure herself, was quite innocent, trivial indeed.  But why had she been unable to come straight home?  What had held her away, as forcibly as if a hand had lain upon her?

She moved aimlessly about the room.  It was true that these last two days she had agitated herself with anticipation of the concert, but it was something quite different which now put confusion into her thought, and every now and then actually caught her breath.  She did not feel well.  She wished Liddy could have remained at home with her this afternoon, for she had a need of companionship, of a sort of help.  There was Mrs. Grail; but no, she had rather not be with Mrs. Grail just now.

On the table were a few articles of clothing which Lydia and she had made during the last fortnight, things she was going to take away with her.  This morning she had given them a few finishing touches of needlework, now they could be put away.  She went to the chest of drawers.  Of the two small drawers at the top, one was hers, one was Lydia’s; the two long ones below were divided in the same way.  She drew one out and turned over the linen.  How some young lady about to be married—­Miss Paula Tyrrell, suppose—­would have viewed with pitying astonishment the outfit with which Thyrza was more than content.  But Thyrza had never viewed marriage as an opportunity of enriching her wardrobe.