Pixie was seated beside the fire, and the glance of her eyes spoke of a warning which he was quick to understand. Pat was not to suspect that his friend had been summoned on his behalf. He turned towards the bed, and said lightly—
“Sorry to be late, old man. How goes it? Tried the walking again?”
“This morning. Yes. But—” Pat shrugged wearily—“not since. Got a head—”
Stephen looked at him critically. Bright eyes, flushed cheeks, shortened breath, all the danger signals to the fore.
“Bit feverish, old man, that’s the trouble! Exerting yourself too much perhaps. Good thing I didn’t come to tire you further. Get that doctor fellow to give you something to cool you down, and give you a good night’s rest, and the little cherub will wake up bright as a button.”
“Shan’t!” Pat cried. “No more doctors! Sick of the sight of doctors! What have doctors done for me? Chained here all these weeks, and worse at the end! I can look after myself.”
“Taken your temperature by any chance?”
“What’s the good? Don’t you start worrying, Glynn! I’ve had enough of it from Pixie. I’m not going to be worried with temperatures.”
“Don’t behave like a child, O’Shaughnessy. No one wants to worry you with doctors if it can be helped. I don’t wonder you are tired of them, but you can’t run risks. Take your temperature like a sensible fellow, and if it’s under a hundred, I’ll leave you in peace. Otherwise I go downstairs this minute and telephone for Braithey. Where’s the thermometer, Miss O’Shaughnessy? Now then, in with it!”
Pat scowled, but submitted. The glass tube was held between set lips, and a silence ensued which Stephen made no effort to break. Pixie waited expectantly for him to join her, but he kept his position by the bed, without so much as turning his head in her direction. And upon entering he had avoided her glance, had dropped her hand after the most perfunctory, clasp, and last night he had gone away without even saying good-night. ... She had offended him: certainly she must have offended him, Pixie told herself, though how she was unable to think. She stared into the fire, feeling tired, and sad, and discouraged.