'You do him more good than anyone. You see, he's known you so long,' she added gently, 'and so intimately. It's no strain--I mean he hasn't got to make conversation.' 'Yes, I see,' said Edith. 'Mr. Ross hasn't any near relations--no mother or sister. You seem to take their place--if you understand what I mean.' Edith thought it charmingly tactful of her to put it like that. 'I'm sure _you_ take their place,' Edith said. Dulcie looked down. 'Oh, of course, he hasn't to make any effort with me. But then _I_ don't amuse him, and he wants amusement, and change. It's a great bore for a man like that--so active mentally, and in every way--to have to lie perfectly still, especially when he has no companion but me. I'm rather dull in some ways. Besides, I don't know anything about the subjects he's interested in.' 'Don't talk nonsense,' said Edith, smiling. 'I should imagine that just to look at you would be sufficient.' 'Oh, Mrs. Ottley! How can you?' She turned away as if rather pained than pleased at the compliment. 'I haven't very high spirits,' she said. 'I'm not sure that I don't sometimes depress him.' 'On the contrary; I'm sure he wouldn't like a breezy, restless person bouncing about the room and roaring with laughter,' Edith said. She smiled. 'Perhaps not. But there might be something between. He will be able to go for a drive in a week or two. I wondered whether, perhaps, you could take him out?' 'Oh yes; I dare say that could be arranged.' 'I have to go out all tomorrow afternoon. I wondered whether you would come and sit with him, Mrs. Ottley?' 'Certainly I will, if you like.' 'Oh, please do! I know he's worrying much more about his son than anybody thinks. You see, the boy's really very young, and I'm not sure he's strong.' 'I suppose neither of them told the truth about their age,' said Edith. 'It reminds one of the joke in _Punch_: "Where do you expect to go if you tell lies? To the front."' Miss Clay gave a little laugh. Then she started. A bell was heard ringing rather loudly. 'I'll tell him you're coming tomorrow, then,' she said. They returned to Aylmer's room. He was looking a little sulky. He said as Edith came in: 'I thought you'd gone without saying good-bye. What on earth were you doing?' 'Only talking to Miss Clay,' said Edith, sitting down by him. 'How sweet she is.' 'Charming,' said Madame Frabelle. 'Wonderfully pretty, too.' 'She's a good nurse,' said Aylmer briefly. 'She's been awfully good to me. But I do hope I shan't need her much longer.' He spoke with unnecessary fervour. 'Oh, Mr Ross!' exclaimed Madame Frabelle. 'I'm sure if I were a young man I should be very sorry when she had to leave me!' 'Possibly. However, you're not a young man. Neither am I.'