’Better—­oh, very much better!  The cough hasn’t been not near so troublesome these last nights.’

’Mind you don’t do too much work.  You ought to have put your sewing aside by now.’

’Oh, this is only a bit of my own.  I’m sorry to say there isn’t very much of the other kind to do yet.’

‘Comes in slowly, does it?’ Richard asked, without appearance of much interest.

’It’ll be better soon, I dare say.  People want time, you see, to get to know of us.’

Richard’s eyes wandered.

‘Have you finished the port wine yet?’ he asked, as if to fill a gap.

’What an idea!  Why, there’s four whole bottles left, and one as I’ve only had three glasses out of.’

‘Emma was dreadfully disappointed when you didn’t come as usual,’ she said presently.

Richard nodded.

‘Have you got into your house?’ she asked timidly.

’It isn’t quite ready yet; but I’ve been seeing about the furnishing.’

Jane dreamed upon the word.  It. was her habit to escape from the suffering weakness of her own life to joy in the lot which awaited her sister.

‘And Emma will have a room all to herself?’

Jane had read of ladies’ boudoirs; it was her triumph to have won a promise from Richard that Emma should have such a chamber.

‘How is it going to be furnished?  Do tell me.’

Richard’s imagination was not active in the spheres of upholstery.

‘Well, I can’t yet say,’ he replied, as if with an effort to rouse himself.  ‘How would you like it to be?’

Jane had ever before her mind a vague vision of bright-hued drapery, of glistening tables and chairs, of nobly patterned carpet, setting which her heart deemed fit for that priceless jewel, her dear sister.  But to describe it all in words was a task beyond her.  And the return of Emma herself saved her from the necessity of trying.

Hearing her enter the house, Richard went up to meet Emma, and they sat together in the sitting-room.  This room was just as it had been in Mrs. Mutimer’s day, save for a few ornaments from the mantelpiece, which the old lady could not be induced to leave behind her.  Here customers were to be received—­when they came; a room upstairs was set apart for work.

Emma wore a slightly anxious look; it showed even through her happiness.  None the less, the very perceptible change which the last few months had wrought in her was in the direction of cheerful activity; her motives were quicker, her speech had less of self-distrust, she laughed more freely, displayed more of youthful spontaneity in her whole bearing.  The joy which possessed her at Richard’s coming was never touched with disappointment at his sober modes of exhibiting affection.  The root of Emma’s character was steadfast faith.  She did not allow herself to judge of Richard by the impulses of her own heart; those, she argued, were womanly; a man