He seemed nervous and ill at ease, as he opened the door of the sitting-room and preceded Philippa.
"I will go first if you will allow me," he said.
A screen had been placed at the entrance, and it was not until she had passed round it that Philippa realised she was in the presence of the man she had come to see. The sofa had been drawn forward and he was lying on it, propped up with pillows. The nurse was sitting beside him.
"I have redeemed my promise," said the doctor cheerfully. "I have brought Miss Harford to see you. But she must only stay a few minutes, and less than that if you don't obey orders and keep quiet."
It struck Philippa that he was speaking in order to give her time to decide on her first words, and needlessly so, for she was conscious of no trace of nervousness. She was looking straight at Francis, whose eyes were fixed upon her with the look of joy and welcome she had seen in them before, as she stepped quickly forward.
"Ah!" she said, "I did not expect to see you on the sofa. It must mean that you are better."
She spoke quite simply, and with just the warmth of manner one would use to an intimate friend under similar circumstances.
He held out his hands and she laid both hers in his. Then she turned and thanked the nurse who had vacated her chair, and sat down beside the couch.
Dr. Gale was addressing the nurse. "Go out and take a walk," he was saying. "I thought we should have rain this morning, but now the clouds have disappeared and the sun is shining."
As they left the room together, Francis raised Philippa's hands and kissed them, first one and then the other.