'Yes. Look at this wire.'
He read aloud:
'Wish to see you at once if possible come up today M.'
'Who is 'M'?'
'Mitchell, of course. Who should it be?' He spoke aggressively, then softened down to explanation, 'Mitchell's in town a few days on business, too. I may be detained till Tuesday—or even Wednesday next.'
Bruce had been to town so often lately, his manner was so vague, he seemed at once so happy and so preoccupied, so excited, so pleased, so worried, and yet so unnaturally good-tempered, that Edith had begun to suspect he was seeing Miss Townsend again.
The suspicion hurt her, for he had given his word of honour, and had been nice to her ever since, and amiable (though rather absent and bored) with the children.
She walked down to the station with him, though he wished to go in the cab which took his box and suit-case, but he did not resist her wish. On the way he said, looking round as if he had only just arrived and had never seen it before:
'This is a very nice little place. It's just the right place for you and the children. If I were you, I should stay on here.'
It struck her he spoke in a very detached way, and some odd foreshadowing came to her.