"A fat lot of nursing she’s done!" interrupted Jane. "I don’t believe she’s tried at all. She’s just enjoying herself in London. I don’t suppose Lady Brent cares for her much, but it’s rather hard lines to leave her all by herself." Mrs. Grant was much of the same opinion, since Mrs. Brent had taken no steps, as far as was known, to embark upon the nursing career which she had announced as her intention; but she was not quite ready to agree with Jane’s criticism of her. "It isn’t only she that has left Lady Brent," she said. "Mr. Wilbraham is doing some work," said Jane, "and Harry had to go. If he hadn’t gone when he did, he would have gone by this time." "I don’t want to criticize him," said her mother. "It will be all over now, but I think it has been hard lines, as you say, on Lady Brent that she hasn’t been able to write to him." "She understands that," said Jane. "We’ve talked about it." Mrs. Grant knew that Lady Brent had, surprisingly, made something of a confidante of Jane. She was pleased that it was so, but did not like to ask questions about her confidences. Jane, however, seemed ready to give them. "We think," she said, "that until he was made an officer he wouldn’t want anybody to know that he was Sir Harry Brent, or different from any other soldier. It would make it difficult if he had letters from home. She’s proud of him for it. So am I." Mrs. Grant was touched by the "we." Evidently Jane was of some comfort to the lonely self-contained lady, if they discussed matters in that way. She kissed her. "I expect it’s something like that, darling," she said. "Anyhow, it’s all over now, and he’ll be just like any other young man. You must go back to lessons now." "I don’t think he’s like other young men," said Jane, as she reluctantly prepared to leave. "I think it’s much finer to go through all the hardships. It’s like pioneering. I expect what we used to talk about in the log cabin had something to do with it." "Did you tell Lady Brent about that, darling?" "Oh, yes. And she quite agreed with me. Lady Brent understands things. I think Mrs. Brent is a rotter. Good-bye, mother dear." Mrs. Brent’s telegram came that evening, and she herself the next day. According to his letter, Harry might be in England almost as soon as it reached her. He would come down to Royd as soon as possible, but he must be in London for a few days to get his kit. He would wire from there. But he did not tell her where she could communicate with him.