Anstice could not help laughing.
"Justin and I are very happy together," she said.
"I will write and tell you if he has missed me much, but I expect he has been too busy to give me a thought."
As she journeyed up North, her thoughts naturally went back to her marriage day, and to the mingled feelings of doubt and dread with which she travelled then to an unknown country and an unknown life. How different was it now! She was assured a loving welcome from the children who had tried to drive her from them; and as to her husband, she had an instinctive conviction that he was no longer indifferent to her. Whether he merely liked her because of the comfort and ease which she had brought to his home and because of her easy companionship and friendliness, remained to be seen.
When she arrived at Penrith, Justin was on the platform; he led her out to a beautiful car.
"I've just bought it," he said. "It only arrived from London yesterday. It was one I had seen with a view to purchase before I went abroad. You'll be able to use it when I am away."
"And when may that be?" Anstice asked lightly.
And he responded as lightly:
"When the fit takes me."
"All the small fry wanted to come and meet you," he went on; "but I refused to bring them. They're too much about one in the house. I like to be free of them when I can."