At length, when fifteen months of lectures gave her a new confidence, she tackled him point-blank one afternoon while they were walking on the Heath.
He looked at her reproachfully, as though he were a master who had just been asked for a half-holiday.
"My dear girl," he said, "is that quite logical?"
She knew at once that hope was dead. It always was when logic once appeared. She never had a chance.
"I don't know why not," she said gaily, for nowadays she did not go back to her kennel quite so easily. They had been married for two years.
Hubert was forced to put the thing in words.
"Well you see, my dear," he started, slowly, "I dare say other husbands have got their work finished by six o'clock. In fact"—and he brightened visibly—"that is really why they fixed that hour, I dare say. City men are back. But it's my best work-hour, you know."
"Is it?" laughed Helena, and looked at him. Then, as he did not seem to see the joke, "The morning is, you know, if I ask you to come out shopping. I'm afraid, Hugh, you're just a little naughty!" And she shook her finger.
"No," he said shortly, still not very much amused, for once, at her nice childish ways. "They both are.... It's not much for a man to work, just two short goes at it, and I simply can't spare the time, however much I'd like to. I mustn't go out between tea and dinner when I'm on a book."
"You used to, though," persisted Helena, "in Devonshire."