There was a pause, and Char said hoarsely: "I wonder if I ought to go up?"
"Is that you, Miss Vivian?" came the voice of Miss Bruce from the stairs.
Char turned and went slowly up to her.
Trevellyan did not see her again that evening, and Miss Bruce told him later, with rather a reproachful look, that poor Miss Vivian was not fit to be up.
"It was a shock to her, I'm afraid."
"Yes—oh yes; but she really was dreadfully ill when she went out this morning. She ought never, never to have been allowed to leave the house."
"You don't mean to say she's going to be ill too?" exclaimed Trevellyan in tones of dismay.
He was thinking that Joanna had enough anxiety as it was; but Miss Bruce attributed his tones entirely to concern on behalf of her adored Miss Vivian, and looked at him more amiably.
"I'm afraid it's influenza, but a couple of days in bed will make all the difference, and now that, of course, there's no question of her leaving the house, she'll be able to take care of herself for once."
"There she is," said Captain Trevellyan, and strode across the hall to meet his Cousin Joanna and the doctor.