There was a slight emphasis on the word "now," and Nan glanced up in surprise.
"Why now particularly?" she asked, smiling. "Are you going to cold-shoulder me after I'm married?"
Lord St. John shook his head.
"That's very likely, isn't it?" he said, smiling. "No, my dear, that's not the reason." He paused as though searching for words, then went on quietly: "The silver chord is getting a bit frayed, you know, Nan. I'm an old man, and I'm just beginning to know it."
She caught her breath quickly and her face whitened. Then she forced a laugh.
"Nonsense, Uncle David! Kitty always declares you're the youngest of us all."
His eyes smiled back at her.
"Unfortunately, my dear, Time takes no account of a juvenile spirit. His job is with this body of ours. But the spirit," he added dreamingly, "and its youthfulness—that's for eternity."
"But you look quite well—quite well," she insisted. And her manner was the more positive because in her inmost mind she thought she could detect a slight increase of that frail appearance she had first noticed on Penelope's wedding-day.
"I've had hints, Nan—Nature's wireless. So I saw Jermyn Carter a few weeks back—"