"Has it never struck you that perhaps Mr. Bevan may be feeling like some of those other young gentlemen who are so much taken up with you--only in his case, being older, it's a much more serious matter."
The lovely colour flooded Lallie's face. Her hand tightened on Matron's, and she gazed at her in breathless silence for a full minute.
"Do you mean," she whispered, "that you think Tony cares for me like that?"
"I am perfectly sure of it," said Matron; "and if you are sure you can never care for him 'like that'; I certainly think it would be kinder of you not to come back next term."
Lallie's eyes were shining; she was very pale again as she suddenly leant across the little table and kissed the matron.
Without another word she went out of the room.
She had lunch alone with Tony and Miss Foster. It was a very quiet meal, and when it was over she followed Tony into the study to receive some last instructions about her journey. He was to see her off at the train, and being a methodical person he had made all arrangements for her journey to Ireland as well. He gave her marked time-tables and her tickets, and then looking down at her as she stood small and meek and receptive at his side, he said:
"Ballinger has been at me again, Lallie. He really does seem tremendously in earnest; and I think that if you don't intend to have anything more to do with him you should make it clearer than you have as yet. It would be kinder to put him out of suspense."
"Short of knocking him on the head like a gamekeeper with a rabbit, I don't see what more I can do."
"Perhaps if he had it in black and white he'd realise that you mean what you say."