‘My love, how ill you are looking!’ he said, anxiously. ‘I am not ill, Churchill. I have been unhappy, but that is all past now. That woman’s presence at our gates was a perpetual horror to me. She is gone, and I seem to breathe more freely. This sacrifice of yours will bring peace to us both. I feel assured of that. In a new world, among new faces, we shall forget, and God will be good to us. He will forgive——’ A burst of hysterical sobs interrupted her words, and for once in her life Madge Penwyn lost all power of self-control. Her weakness did not last long. Before Churchill could summon Mills his wife had recovered herself, and smiled at him, even with a pale wan smile. ‘I am a little tired, dear, that is all. I will go to bed for an hour or two.’ ‘Rest as long as you can, dear. I will write to Pergament while you are sleeping, and ask him to make immediate arrangements for our voyage to Sydney. That Mills seems a faithful girl,’ speaking of his wife’s maid, ‘she might go with us, as Nugent’s nurse.’ ‘No, dear. I shall take no nurse. I am quite able to wait upon my pet. We must begin life in a very humble way, and I am not going to burden you with a servant.’ ‘It shall be as you please, dear. Perhaps, after all, I may not do so badly in the new country. I shall take my parliamentary reputation as a recommendation.’ Madge left him. She looked white and weak as some pale flower that had been beaten down by wind and rain. Churchill went to his dressing-room, refreshed his energies with a shower bath, dressed in his usual careful style, and went down to the dining-room at the sound of the breakfast-bell. Viola was there when he entered, playing with Nugent, which small personage was the unfailing resource of the ladies of the household in all intervals of _ennui_. The little fellow screamed with delight at sight of his father. Churchill took him in his arms, and kissed him fondly, while Viola rang for the nurse. ‘Good morning, Churchill. I did not know you had come back. What a rapid piece of business your London expedition must have been!’ ‘Yes, I did not care about wasting much time. What were you doing yesterday, Viola?’ ‘I spent the day with the Vyvyans, at the Hall. They had a wind-up croquet match. It was great fun.’ ‘And you were not home till late, I suppose?’ ‘Not so very late. It was only half-past nine o’clock, but Madge had retired. What makes her so late this morning?’ Viola evidently knew nothing of her sister’s visit to the lodge. ‘She was engaged in a work of charity last night, and is worn out with fatigue.’ He told Viola how Madge had nursed the dying woman. ‘That woman she disliked so much! Was there ever such a noble heart as my sister’s?’ cried Viola.