"You are quite right," she admitted; "your mistake was to suppose I shouldn't see it for myself." She turned her eyes from him and looked ostentatiously in another direction. "Now," she added, "she is going away! Perhaps you already knew, but——"
"No," he replied, "I didn't know; I thought it likely, but I didn't know. I understand why you sent for me."
He got up and went across to her, and kissed her on the brow.
"I understand why it was you sent for me," he repeated. "What a tender little mother it is! And to lose her companion, too!"
Where he leant beside her, she could not see how white his face had grown.
"Are we going to let her go, Phil?"
He stroked her hand.
"I am afraid we must let her go, mother, as she doesn't want to stop."
"You don't mean to interfere, then? You won't do anything to prevent it?"
"I am not able to prevent it," he rejoined coldly. "I have no authority."