He set her down at the breakfast-table, himself poured out her tea, and dismissed the kitmutgar as soon as might be, Honor watching him the while with troubled solicitude in her eyes.
"It's crushing, John!" she said at length. "And you do look horribly ill."
"Well, my dear girl, is it likely I'd desert the regiment, and forfeit a year of your good company unless devils within were pretty imperative?"
She smiled and shook her head.
"But you ought to have told us about it sooner, ... me, at any rate. When did you know the decision of the Board?"
"Yesterday. Desmond was with me at the time. I didn't write before that about things being uncertain, for fear the good old man should take fright and whisk you off home. And I thought that even if I couldn't square the Board, you'd find waiting out here for me the lesser evil."
"Very much the lesser evil. What a barbarian people at home would think me if they knew it! And you must go, ... when?"
"In four or five days; as soon as my leave is sanctioned."
"And, naturally, I stay here with you till then."