But she had had more than one motive for her delay. It would look better if she were not in too great a hurry. (She said to herself it would look better on Ally's account.) The longer he was kept away (she said to herself, that he was kept away from Ally) the more he would be likely to want to come. Sufficient time must elapse to allow of his forgetting Gwenda. It was not well that he should be thinking all the time of Gwenda when he came. (She said to herself it was not well on Ally's account.)
And it was well that their father should have forgotten Rowcliffe.
(This on Ally's account, too.)
For of course it was only on Ally's account that she was asking
Rowcliffe, really.
Not that there seemed to be any such awful need.
For Ally, in those five weeks, had got gradually better. And now, in the first week of May, which had always been one of her bad months, she was marvelously well. It looked as if Gwenda had known what she was talking about when she said Ally would be all right when she was gone.
And of course it was just as well (on Ally's account) that Rowcliffe should not have seen her until she was absolutely well.
Nobody could say that she, Mary, was not doing it beautifully. Nobody could say she was not discreet, since she had let five weeks pass before she asked him.
And in order that her asking him should have the air of happy chance, she must somehow contrive to see him first.
Her seeing him could be managed any Wednesday in the village. It was bound, in fact, to occur. The wonder was that it had not occurred before.