"She's booked sailings for herself and the girl for the 8th, and she wants to book one for me, too. Otherwise she says it's all off."
"Ah! What did you tell her?"
"I promised I'd go."
She drew in her breath sharply.
"You promised to go—on the 8th!"
"There was nothing else to do. I can't throw away an opportunity like that. I've told you so all along. Of course I could always change my mind at the last minute … if anything happened."
His wandering gaze came back to her, and for a long moment they looked at each other in silence. Then Thérèse bit her lip and turned away.
"What did Sartorius say when you talked to him yesterday?"
"Oh, nothing whatever. He won't express an opinion beyond the fact that the old boy's age and general condition are against him. There's not much in that. I wouldn't mind betting even money that he'll pull through this and go on for another ten or fifteen years."
She shook her head slowly, looking away from him.