“I will come with you! Your room is not quite ready. You must come to mine.” She turned to Dane holding out her hand with a flickering smile. “You will excuse me, Dane. We are so busy... The Vicar is coming in later, and Mr Hunter, and the dressmaker... There’s so much to be done... We will see you again?”
She turned away, without waiting for a reply, and Dane reseated himself in silence. To say that he was surprised, but feebly expresses his sentiments; he was stunned, he could hardly persuade himself that he had heard aright. He looked eagerly at Mrs Mallison, seeking a clue from her, and beheld a kindred surprise, mingled with an unmistakable complacence. Obviously the mother approved of her daughter’s reserve, and felt a natural satisfaction in his rebuff, but before the silence had continued long enough to become awkward, she remembered her duties as hostess, and vouchsafed an explanation:
“Mary arrived just before tea... They have not seen each other for a year.—So much has happened...”
“Of course. Just so... I quite understand,” Dane said vaguely. Then, after a moment’s pause, “Teresa looks thin!” he added anxiously. “This has been a great shock to her.”
“M-yes!” Mrs Mallison said. Just the one word, yet Dane found himself flushing guiltily, and realising that he was meant to realise that no shock, however great, could alter a girl’s physique, as Teresa had altered since he had seen her last. He dropped the subject, and tried another.
“I came as quickly as I could after getting the news. I hoped I might be in time to help. What arrangements,... can I help you to make arrangements?”
“Thank you very much, but everything is settled. Mr Hunter is looking after everything. I expect him this evening to talk over details. The day after to-morrow, at twelve o’clock. Will it be possible for you to stay?”
Again Dane was conscious of shock, followed by a pang of something curiously like irritation. Hunter? How did Hunter come to be on such intimate terms? Then he remembered that Hunter was a doctor, and felt a rising of spirits. Of course! Quite natural! Hunter had been in attendance.
“Of course I shall stay. I hope I may be of some use to you later, on. I’m glad you had someone on the spot. Hunter is the young doctor, isn’t he? Extraordinarily kind, these doctor fellows on occasions like these!”
“M-yes,” said Mrs Mallison once more, and there rose before Dane’s eyes a picture of Teresa, in a white dress, dispensing garden tea, with a tall young figure assiduously waiting upon her. Once more he realised that that “M-yes!” was meant to imply that more than mere professional interest was at stake.