"If you love anybody," said Roddy, with confusion and hesitation, "as much as I love Rachel you become wonderfully understandin'.... Look here," he broke off, "don't let's talk any more rot. Just drop all jaw about feelin's and such. There's been an awful lot of it lately."
He would say no more; they got the war map and, very happily for the next quarter of an hour, moved flags up and down its surface.
Then came Rachel and, after her, tea. They were a quiet but very happy company during the next half-hour.
"How's Aunt Adela?" asked Roddy.
"Very well, considering," said Rachel. "Of course she's confused and lost her bearings rather. She misses the Portland Place house more than anything, I think—she was there so long. But Uncle Vincent was right; it would have been very bad for her if she'd stayed in it.... She's quiet and depending a lot upon Lizzie——"
When tea was ended Rachel said, "Dr. Chris, I've got something to say to you. I'm going to tear you away from Roddy for five minutes if you'll come upstairs."
"Well, that's a nice sort of thing——" protested Roddy.
"I won't keep him." She took him up to the little drawing-room and as they sat there by the window together he thought of that day when he had told her the Duchess was downstairs with Roddy. They had all travelled a long way since then.
"There's a favour I want you to grant me."
"Anything in the world."