"About four."
"Let us have some tea then, and I'll go round to the hospital and get my arm dressed again. Hallo, it's raining!"
"Yes; it has been pouring ever since eleven o'clock this morning," said Liss; and coughed.
Marjorie turned upon her sharply. Liss was one of those persons to whom coughing is a forbidden luxury.
"Liss," she cried, "you're soaking! Every rag you have on is sticking to you! What's the matter?" She began to fumble at the back of the child's blouse. "Here, undress yourself! I have only one hand."
"I got a bit wet when I went out to the theatre," said Liss airily.
"But why on earth didn't you—" Marjorie glanced towards the bedroom door, and stopped abruptly. She understood. "I see," she said, "you didn't want—? Was that it? How long have you been like this?"
"Oh, not long," Liss assured her; and coughed again.
III
Marjorie, returning from her alternative role of out-patient to resume that of head nurse, walked into the flat, and sat down heavily on Liss.