"No," Dick said briefly.
"You don't? You always put all your cards on the table? Come now! Do you?"
Dick hesitated, and Saltash's grin became more pronounced. "All right! You needn't answer," he said lightly. "Do you know I thought you weren't quite as simple as you appeared at first sight. Just as well perhaps. Juliette's cavalier mustn't be too rustic." He stopped to look at Dick appraisingly. "Yes, I'm glad on the whole that your intentions are honourable," he ended with a smile. "I rather doubt if you pull 'em off. But you may—you may."
He turned sharply with the words as if a hand had touched him and faced round upon Juliet as she came out on to the step.
Her face had an exhausted look, but she smiled faintly at the two men as she joined them.
"She is still living," she said. "The doctor gives just a shade of hope. But—" She looked at Saltash—"he absolutely forbids her being moved—at all. I hope it won't be a terrible inconvenience to you."
"It will be a privilege to serve you—or your friends—in any way," said Saltash.
"Thank you," she said. "I am sure Mr. Fielding will be very grateful to you. The doctor is going to send in a nurse. Of course I shall not leave her. She has come to depend upon me a good deal. And we thought of telephoning to her maid to bring everything necessary from Shale Court."
"Of course!" said Saltash kindly. "Look here, my dear! Don't for heaven's sake feel you've got to ask my permission for everything you do! Treat the place and everyone in it as your own!"
"Thank you," she said again. "Then, Charles, if you're sure you don't mind, I'll send for my dog as well."