"No? All right. But you will be if you don't do as you're told. Listen, kiddie. Is there any real reason why you can't go and go to-morrow?"
Anne shook her head. There was no reason beyond her own desire. There never would be any more. Anne tried to smile. She did not want to cry, not even before Belle.
"How long are you going to make me stay, nurse?"
"There, that's the way to behave. Stay? Until you want to come back. Until—you want noise, jangling cars and people rushing round and the whole silly mess."
"Then—I'll—never—come."
"Don't then." She smoothed the pillows, stroked back the hair from Anne's troubled eyes and smiled.
"You're—awfully—good to me, Belle."
"A perfect angel," Belle agreed, but her own eyes were not quite clear.
"I must have Rogie with me, Belle. Don't—try to manage me out of that."
"We'll settle everything in the morning. I'm not going to insist on anything against your will, kiddie. Don't worry. Only you must go to sleep now and do not think of a thing. You'll be all right after a good night's rest."