Lydia came and spent Christmas Day with her.  They talked of their memories, and Thyrza asked questions about Gilbert Grail, as she had several times done of late.  Lydia had no very cheerful news to give of him.

’Mrs. Grail can’t do any work now.  She sits by the fire all day, and at night she won’t let him do anything but talk to her.  It isn’t at all a good servant they’ve got.  She’s expected to come at eight in the morning, but it’s almost always nine before she gets there.’

‘Couldn’t you find someone better, Lyddy?’

’I’m trying to, but it isn’t easy.  I do what I can myself.  Mrs. Grail sometimes seems as if she doesn’t like me to come about.  She wouldn’t speak to me this morning; I’m sure I don’t know why.  She’s changed a great deal from what she was when you knew her.  And she can’t bear to have things moved in the room for cleaning; she gets angry with the servant about it, and then the girl talks to her as she shouldn’t, and it makes her cry.’

‘Is she impatient with Gilbert?’ Thyrza asked.

’No, I don’t think so.  But she always wants him to be by her.  If he’s a few minutes late, she knows it, and begins to fret and worry.’

‘So he sits all the evening just keeping her company?’

’Yes.  He reads to her a good deal, generally out of those religious books—­you remember?  I feel sorry for her; I’m so sure there’s other things he might read would give her a deal more comfort.  And you’d think he never got a bit tired, he’s that kind and good to her, Thyrza.’

‘Yes, I know he must be.  Does Mr. Ackroyd ever come to see him?’

‘Not to the house, no.  Nobody comes.’

Thyrza was very silent after this.

Two weeks later, when the new year was frost-bound, Lydia received this letter from her sister

’I want to come and see you in the old room, as I said I should, and at the same time I want to see Gilbert.  But I must see him alone.  I could come at night, and you could be at the door to let me in, couldn’t you, dear?  You said that Mrs. Grail goes to bed early; I could see Gilbert after that.  You may tell him that I am coming, and ask him if he will see me.  I hope he won’t refuse.  Write and let me know when I shall be at the door—­to-morrow night, if possible.  You will be able to send a letter that I shall get by the first post in the morning.’

Had the visit proposed been a secret one, to herself alone, Lydia would not have been much surprised, as Thyrza had several times of late said that she wished to come.  But the desire to see Gilbert was something of which no hint had been given till now.  Strange fancies ran through her head.  She doubted so much on the subject, that she resolved to say nothing to Gilbert; if Thyrza persisted in her wish, it would be possible to arrange the interview when she was in the house.  She wrote in reply that she would be standing at the front door at half-past eight on the following evening.