'Nonsense! Good night, my darling--don't catch cold. And, Edith.' 'Yes, Aylmer?' 'I'll meet you here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning.' 'Yes, Aylmer.' 'Then you'd better go back in the afternoon. It won't do for you to stay another night here. Oh, Edith, how happy we _shall_ be!' He watched her as she walked across the garden and went into the hotel at the front door. Then he went indoors. * * * * * The next day Edith, Dilly and the nurse went back to London early in the afternoon. CHAPTER XXX Edith, during the short journey home, sat with a smile on her lips, thinking of a little scene she had seen before leaving Eastcliff from the hall, known as the lounge, of the hotel. She had watched Dilly, beaming with joy, playing with a particularly large air-ball, bright rose colour, that Aylmer had bought her from a well-known character of the place, a very old woman, who made her living by the sale of these old-fashioned balloons. Dilly was enchanted with it. She had said to Aylmer when the old woman passed with a quantity of them. 'They look like flowers; they ought to have a pretty scent,' which amused him immensely. As she held it in her hand, pressing it with her tiny finger, a tragedy happened. The air-ball burst. Edith could hardly help laughing at seeing Dilly's expression. It was despair--gradual horror--shock, her first disillusion! Then as tears were welling up in the large blue eyes--she was saying: 'Oh, it's dead!'--Edith saw Aylmer snatch the collapsed wreck from the child's hand and run as fast as he could (which was not very fast, and only when leaning on a stick) after the old woman.... He caught her as she turned the corner, brought back a pink and a blue air-ball and gave them to Dilly, one for each hand. The child beamed again, happier than at first, threw her arms round his neck and kissed him. How touched and delighted Edith was! Would Bruce _ever_ have done such a thing? Aylmer had so thoroughly appreciated the little drama of joy, disillusion and consolation shown in the expression in Dilly's lovely little face. Had anything been wanting to Edith's resolution this small incident would have decided it. * * * * * When they arrived home, a day sooner than they were expected, the servant told Edith at the door that Madame Frabelle had gone away. 'Gone without seeing me?' 'Yes, madam. A telegram came for her and she left last night. Here is a letter for you, madam.' Edith ran into the dining-room and tore it open. 'MY DEAREST EDITH (it said), 'To my great regret a wire I half expected came, and I was compelled to leave before your return, to join my relative, who is ill. I can't tell you how sorry I am not to say good-bye and thank you for your dear kind hospitality. But I'll write again, a long letter. I hope also to see you later. I will give you my address next time.