Quita shrugged her shoulders.
"It was not amusing," she answered with her whimsical smile. "But it was an experience: and that is always something,—when it is over! I think I never realised before how big and how terrible a country India is; or how kind people are out here," she added, looking from one to the other with misty eyes.
"Kind? Nonsense!" It was Honor who spoke. "Now . . will you have a peg, or some tea?"
"Tea, please. And after that, I may see . . Eldred, mayn't I?"
Instinctively she appealed to Desmond, who knitted his brows in distress. "I'm afraid that's out of the question, . . yet awhile," he said.
"Well then . . when?"
"Can't say for certain. Probably not for two or three days. I wouldn't so much as risk telling him that you are here till then."
The mist on her lashes overflowed; and she dashed an impatient hand across them with small result.
"But I have waited three days already. And since this morning I have been counting the hours . . the minutes . ."
It was no use. She could not go on without further loss of dignity; and Honor hastened into the breach.