Miss Keating's half-smile hinted at renunciation. "I have too many younger sisters."
"Well, let me see. I shall be going back to Surbiton the day after to-morrow. How would it be if you were to come with me?"
"Oh, Mrs.—Mrs.——" The smile wavered, but it held its place.
"Mrs. Jurd. If we suited each other you might stay with me, at any rate for a week or two. I've been a long time looking out for a companion."
Miss Keating's smile was now strained with hesitation. Mrs. Jurd was not an invalid, and she was interested in Miss Keating. These were points in her favour. On the other hand, nobody who could do better would choose to live with Mrs. Jurd and wind wool and talk about the deep-sea fishermen.
"I am living," said Mrs. Jurd, "with my nephew at Surbiton. I have to keep his house for him."
"Then do you think you would really need any one?"
"Indeed I do. My nephew isn't a companion for me. He's in the city all day and out most evenings, or he brings his friends in and they get smoking."
Miss Keating's smile was now released from its terrible constraint. A slight tremor, born of that deliverance, passed over her face, and left it rosy. But having committed herself to the policy of hesitation she had a certain delicacy in departing from it now.
"Are you quite sure you would care to have me?"