"No." Mary smiled, but the word shuddered in her throat like a weary moan.
"How long?"
"Forty-three minutes."
"Oh, Lord——" Gwenda laughed the laugh of brave nerves tortured.
From her sofa beyond the table Alice sighed.
At ten o'clock Essy Gale, the maid-servant, would come in from the kitchen and the Vicar from the inner room. And Essy would put the Bible and Prayer-book on the table, and the Vicar would read Prayers.
That was all they were waiting for. It was all that could happen. It happened every night at ten o'clock.
III
Alice spoke next.
"What day of the month is it?"