She waited till the children were in bed and she was alone with Anthony.
"Something awful's happened," she said, and paused hoping he would guess.
"I don't know how to tell you."
"Don't tell me if it's that Nicky's been taking my new bike to pieces."
"It isn't Nicky--It's Maurice."
Anthony got up and cleared his pipe, thoroughly and deliberately. She wondered whether he had heard.
"I'd no business to have married you--to have let you in for him."
"Why? What's he been up to now?"
"He's coming home."
"So," said Anthony, "is Bartholomew. I'd no business to have let you in for him."