"He made me think I'd killed him. It's just as well," she said, "that I should have thought it. If I hadn't I mightn't have fought so hard to make him live. I might have been tormented with another book. It was the only thing that could have stopped me." She paused. "Perhaps--they knew that." "It's all right," she said presently. "After all, if there is anything wrong with the child, I'd rather Hugh didn't think it came from him." She had now another fear. It made her very tender to Brodrick when, coming to him in the drawing-room after their guests had departed, she found him communing earnestly with Gertrude. A look passed between them as she entered. "Well, what are you two putting your heads together about?" she said. Gertrude's head drew back as if a charge had been brought against it. "Well," said Brodrick, "it was about the child. Something must be done. You can't go on like this." She seated herself. Her very silence implied that she was all attention. "It's bad for him and it's bad for you." "What's bad for him?" "The way you've given yourself up to him. There's no moderation about your methods." "If there had been," said she, "he wouldn't be alive now." "Yes, yes, I know that. But he's all right now. He doesn't want that perpetual attention. It's ruining him. He thinks he's only got to scream loud enough for anything and he gets it. Every time he screams you rush to him. It's preposterous." Jane listened. "The fact is," said Brodrick, bracing himself, "you have him too much with you." "I _must_ have him with me." "You mustn't," said Brodrick, with his forced gentleness. "You think I'm bad for him?" He did not answer. "Gertrude--do _you_ think I'm bad for him?" Gertrude smiled. She did not answer any more than Brodrick. "Miss Collett agrees with me," said Brodrick. "She always does. What do I do to him?" "You excite him." "Do I, Gertrude?" Gertrude's face seemed to be imploring Brodrick to be pitiful, and not to rub it in. "Do I?" "The child," said Gertrude evasively, "is very sensitive." "And you create," Brodrick said, "an atmosphere----" "A what?" "An atmosphere of perpetual agitation--of emotion----" "You mean my child is fond of me." "Much too fond of you. It's playing the devil with him." "Poor mite--at _his_ age! Well--what do you propose?" "I propose that he should be with somebody who hasn't that effect, who can keep him quiet. Miss Collett very kindly offered----" "Dear Gertrude, you can't. You've got your hands full." "Not so full that they can't hold a little more." Gertrude said it with extreme sweetness. "Can they hold Hughy?" "They've held Jacky," said Brodrick, "for the last year. _He_ never gives any trouble." "He never feels it. Poor Baby has got nerves----" "Well, my dear girl, isn't it all the more reason why he should be with somebody who hasn't got 'em?"