"Very likely," said his daughter abruptly, "or perhaps he will marry Mrs. Chinnery."
Mr. Hartley, who was at supper, put down his knife and fork and sat eying her in very natural amazement. "Marry Mrs. Chinnery?" he gasped, "but how can he?"
"I mean," said Joan with a sudden remembrance of the state of affairs, "I mean if anything should happen to me."
Mr. Hartley finished his supper and drawing his chair up to the fire sat smoking in thoughtful silence.
"And if anything happens to Trimblett perhaps you will marry again," he said at last.
Miss Hartley shook her head. "I am not afraid," she said ambiguously.
Her confidence was put to the test less than a fortnight later by an unexpected visit from Mr. Robert Vyner, who, entering the room in a somewhat breathless condition, accepted a chair and sat gazing at her with an air of mysterious triumph.
"I'm the bearer of important news," he announced. "Dispatches from the front. You'll hear all about it from your father when he comes home, but I wanted to be the first with it."
"What is the matter?" inquired Joan.
Mr. Vyner looked shocked. "All important news, good or bad, should be broken gently," he said reproachfully. "Do you know any Scotch?"