'Yes, for three weeks!' 'So you can take a rest from worrying?' She nodded brightly, but she was not yet quite mistress of her nerves, and her face quivered. He turned away, and began to set his palette, while she seated herself. Hester watched the lesson for half an hour, till it was time to go and make ready for her munition-workers. And she watched it with increasing pleasure, and increasing scorn of a certain recurrent uneasiness she had not been able to get rid of. Nothing could have been better than Farrell's manner to Ariadne. It was friendly, chivalrous, respectful--all it should be--with a note of protection, of unspoken sympathy, which, coming from a man nearly twenty years older than the little lady herself, was both natural and attractive. He made an excellent teacher besides, handling her efforts with a mixture of criticism and praise, which presently roused Nelly's ambition, and kindled her cheeks and eyes. Time flew and when Hester Martin rose to leave them, Nelly cried out in protest--'It can't be five o'clock!' 'A quarter to--just time to get home before my girls arrive!' 'Oh, and I must go too,' said Nelly regretfully. 'I promised Bridget I would be in for tea. But I _was_ getting on--wasn't I?' She turned to Farrell. 'Swimmingly. But you've only just begun. Next time the sitting must be longer.' 'Will you--will you come in to tea?'--she asked him shyly. 'My sister would be very glad.' 'Many thanks--but I am afraid I can't. I shall be motoring back to Carton to-night. To-morrow is one of my hospital days. I told you how I divided my week, and salved my conscience.' He smiled down upon her from his great height, his reddish gold hair and beard blown by the wind, and she seemed to realise him as a great, manly, favouring presence, who made her feel at ease. Hester Martin had already vanished over the bridge, and Farrell and Nelly strolled back more leisurely towards the lodgings, he carrying her canvas sketching bag. On the way she conveyed to him her own and Bridget's acceptance of the Carton invitation. 'If Miss Farrell won't mind our clothes--or rather our lack of them! I did mean to have my wedding dress altered into an evening dress--but!----' She lifted her hand and let it fall, in a sad significant gesture which pleased his fastidious eye. 'You hadn't even the time of the heart for it? I should think not!' he said warmly. 'Who cares about dress nowadays?' 'Your sister!' thought Nelly--but aloud she said-- 'Well then we'll come--we'll be delighted to come. May I see the hospital?' 'Of course. It's like any other hospital.' 'Is it very full now?' she asked him uneasily, her bright look clouding. 'Yes--but it ebbs and flows. Sometimes for a day or two all our men depart. Then there is a great rush.' 'Are they bad cases?' There was an unwilling insistence in her voice, as though her mind dealt with images it would gladly have put away, but could not.