"Yes. But Mr. Tanqueray's a great author, and great authors are born to break half the rules there are. What you and I have got to know is when they may break them, and when they mayn't."
A liquid film swam over Gertrude's eyes, deepening their shallows. It was the first signal of distress.
"It's all right," he said. "I wanted you to do it. I wanted to see what you could do." He considered her quietly. "It struck me you might perhaps prefer it to your other duties."
"What made you think that?"
"I didn't think. I only wondered. Well——"
The next half-hour was occupied with the morning's correspondence, till Brodrick announced that they had no time for more.
"It's only just past four," she said.
"I know; but——Is there anything for tea?" He spoke vaguely like a man in a dream.
"What an opinion you have of my housekeeping," she said.
"Your housekeeping, Miss Collett, is perfection."