"Well, mother dear, so glad to be home again," said Geoffrey, with an affectionate hug, but with eyes that were looking over his mother's head into space for another presence, even while he gave her that filial embrace.
"And I am so glad to have you, Geoffrey; and I hope now this restless spirit will be content to stay."
"C'est selon. Where's Suzette?"
"At Bournemouth, with an old school-fellow."
"Why didn't you wire her address, and then I could have gone straight to her?"
"My dear Geoffrey, what are you thinking of?"
"Of Suzette—of my dear love—of my wife that is to be!"
"My dear boy, you cannot go to her. You must not ask her to marry you while this cancelled engagement is a new thing. I should think her a horrid girl if she would listen to you—for ever so long."
"Do you mean for a week—or a fortnight?"
"For a long, long time, Geoffrey—long enough for Allan's wounded heart to recover."