Madame Frabelle accompanied Edith to the station. She said to her on the way: 'Do you know, Edith, I'm half expecting a telegram which may take me away. I have a relative who is anxious for me to go and stay with her, an aunt. But even if I did go, perhaps you'd let me come back to you after?' Edith assented. Somehow she did not much believe either in the telegram nor the relative. She thought that her friend talked like that so as to give the impression that she was not a fixture; that she was much sought after and had many friends, one or two of whom might insist on her leaving the Ottleys soon. Aylmer was at the little Eastcliff station to meet them. Except that he walked with the help of a stick, he seemed well, and having put Dilly, the nurse and the luggage in a cab, he proposed to Edith to walk to the hotel. 'This _was_ angelic of you, Edith. How jolly the child looks!--like a live doll.' 'You didn't mind my bringing her?' 'Why, I'm devoted to her. But, you know, I hope it wasn't done for any conventional reasons. Headley and I are in the Annexe, nearly half-a-mile from you.' 'I know,' said Edith. 'And when you see the people here, my dear, nobody on earth that counts or matters!--people whom you've never seen before and never will again. But I've been counting the minutes till you came. It really isn't a bad little hole.' He took her down to a winding path covered in under trees, which led to the sea by steps cut in the rock. They sat down on a bench. The sea air was fresh and soothing. 'This is where I sit and read--and think about you. Well, Edith, are you going to put me out of my suspense? How much longer am I to suffer? Let me look at you.' She looked up at him. He smiled at what he saw. 'It'll be rather jolly to have two days or so here all to ourselves,' he said, 'but it will be far from jolly unless you give me that promise.' 'But doesn't the promise refer to after you come back again?' she said in a low voice. 'I don't ask you to come away until I'm back again. But I want you to promise before that you will.' Nothing more was said on the subject at the time, but after dinner, when Dilly had been put to bed, it was so warm that they could come out again, and then she said: 'Aylmer, don't worry yourself any more. I mean to do it.' 'You do!' He looked at her ecstatically. 'Oh, Edith! I'm too happy! Do you quite realise, dear, what it is?... I've been waiting for you for four years. Ever since that night I met you at the Mitchells'. Do you know that before the war, when I came into that money, I was wild with rage. It seemed so wasted on me. I had no use for it then. And when I first met you I used to long for it. I hated being hard up.... The first time I had a gleam of hope was when they told me I'd got over the operation all right. I couldn't believe my life would be spared, for nothing. And now--you won't change your mind again?'