“Ah, yes,” he said sadly, but sat gazing dreamily before him. “Louise. If it had not been for her—”
He did not finish his sentence.
“Come, my dear. John will be expecting you for a long chat. Try and be more hopeful, and don’t go up to him looking like that. Doctor Knatchbull said we were to make him as cheerful as we could, and to keep him from thinking about the past. He did say, too, that we were not to let you see him much. There—”
Poor little Mrs Van Heldre looked more perplexed than ever, and now burst into tears.
“He said that? The doctor said that?”
“Yes; but did you ever hear such a silly woman in your life? To go and blurt out such a thing as that to you!”
“He was quite right—quite right,” said Vine hastily; “and I’ll be very careful not to say or do anything to depress him. Poor John! Do you think he is awake now?”
“No,” said Mrs Van Heldre, wiping her eyes. “Maddy is with him, and she will come down directly he wakes.”
At that moment there was a ring, and on the door being opened the servant announced Luke Vine.
“Hallo,” he said, coming in after his usual unceremonious fashion. “How is he?”