“You’d better let her be, Mr Burnett, sir,” said Mrs Barclay. “It’s my belief that quiet’s the thing.”
“Yes, and we’ll go,” said Mrs Dean. “Good-night, Miss Denville. Good-night, Mr Denville, and thank you so much. Come, Cora, love.”
Cora Dean glanced at Richard Linnell and Mellersh as she advanced to say good-night; for they were going to the same house, and it was possible, as the distance was short, that they would see them home.
“Good-night, Mr Denville,” she said.
“We will say good-night too,” said Mellersh, “unless we can be of any use.”
“Oh, no,” said their host. “She will soon be better—a mere trifle.”
“Yes, please let me be,” said Mrs Burnett. “I shall soon be better now.”
“Good-night,” said Cora, holding out her hand to the woman she told herself she hated with all her heart.
But it was in a spirit of triumph, for Richard Linnell was going to walk home with her.
“Good-night,” said Claire, smiling in her face with a calm ingenuous look. “I am glad we have met.”