"Yes?"
"Could you kiss a chap?"
She went back and kissed his forehead.
"Sophy...." he said again weakly. Then he turned his face into the pillow. She heard smothered sobs. This was dreadful. She knelt down by him and put her arm across his heaving shoulders.
"Don't ... don't...!" she pleaded. "Oh, Cecil ... don't! It will all come right. I'm here. I'll stand by you."
His weak fingers fumbled again and found her own.
"I'm all right," he muttered. "Just a bit weak. Go send the mater up.... Don't let her jaw, though."
Lady Wychcote came down from her son's room looking encouraged and triumphant.
"He seems perfectly rational," she said, speaking pointedly to Hopkins. "I really think you must have exaggerated the seriousness of the case."
"Let us hope so," he said cautiously. "But I fear not."