It had been nursed through measles—­Nelly having had them not long ago—­and its face still showed signs of the disease.

Jack was not disposed to talk.  His discretion had been impugned, and at Jack’s age one feels anything of that kind shrewdly.  Letting his eyes wander about the portion of park that lay before them, he saw at a little distance the nucleus of a religious meeting.  At any other time he would have scorned to pay attention to such a phenomenon; at present he was glad of any opportunity of asserting his independence.  He knew his father ridiculed prayer-meetings, consequently he rose and began to walk in the direction of the group of people.

‘Where are you going, Jack?’ cried Bunce.

‘Only for a walk.  I’ll come back.’

His father acquiesced.  Totty suspended her talk and gazed after him for a moment.  Then she turned to Bunce.

‘So you’ve found rooms, Mr. Bunce?’ she said, with a piece of sorrel between her lips.

‘Yes, I’ve got two that’ll suit us, I think.’

He mentioned where they were, and made a few remarks about them.

‘If there’s anything I can do to help you,’ said Totty, looking at Jack’s distant figure, ’you’ll tell me, I know.  There might be some sewing.  I’ve got plenty of time.  Window blinds, and those things.’

‘Well, I’ve made arrangements about all that with the landlady,’ Bunce replied, in some embarrassment.  ’I thank you very much, Miss Nancarrow, all the same.’

’That’s too bad of you.  You knew very well I’d have been glad to help.  Tell your father he’s very soon forgetting his old friends, Nelly.’

She drew the child to her as she spoke, and kissed her cheek.

‘You know very well I shan’t do that, Miss Nancarrow,’ said Bunce, glancing at her.  ‘Whoever else, I’m not likely to forget you.’

‘I’m not so sure of that.  Are you, Nelly?’

He said nothing.  Totty let her eyes catch a glimpse of his face.  He was looking down, and again grubbing up grass.

’I shall be very sorry if you don’t come and see the children sometimes,’ he mumbled.  ’Or at all events, I hope they can come and see you.’

‘Shall you still work at the same shop?’ Totty asked, paying no attention to the last remark.

‘Yes, for a bit at all events.’

‘Why don’t you start a shop of your own, Mr. Bunce?’ she next inquired, as if a happy idea had struck her.

‘I shouldn’t mind doing that,’ he answered, with a hard laugh.  ’But shops can’t be had for the wishing.’

’You don’t need a big one.  Now like that shop in Duke Street, you know.  What’s the rent of a place like that?’

‘I’m sure I don’t know.  I suppose it goes with the house.’

’Then what’s the rent of the house likely to be?  You could let all you didn’t want, you know, and that ’ud almost pay the rent, I should think.’

He laughed again.