"I'm sure to."
"Tell me what you've been doing. I want to hear all about you," he said persistently.
"There's very little to tell. I've been able to go out a great deal more lately; and I've been resting and reading while I had the opportunity. I took the children to the sea in the summer. Ann went with us, so I was very free and had long walks and swims. It was delightful."
"And you've missed me?" he asked quickly. "I don't hear anything about that."
"We have all missed you."
Her assurance left him vaguely unsatisfied. She drew away from him with a sidelong glance, half sad, half ribald, as if she knew and was regretfully amused at what he was thinking. She leaned over the table, cake knife in hand.
"Have some of this iced cake, Osborn? Bought specially for you."
For a while that pleased and appeased him. He asked more casually for news, and she told him of Rokeby's and Julia's surprise wedding.
He sat back, astonished, exclaiming:
"Good heavens! How unsuitably people marry!"