“Three o’clock. Very well, dear. They oughtn’t to leak—we’ve had them quite a short time. Shall I meet you there?” “No. I’ll come back. We might miss there. I’ll be back by three.” At ten minutes past three in a large rather confused hat with a black bird and white feathers Mrs. Trenchard was seated waiting in the drawing-room. The fire had had coal poured upon it by Rocket, and it was very black: the room was cold and dark, and Mrs. Trenchard, feeling like an unwelcome guest in her own house, shivered. At twenty minutes past three Mrs. Trenchard began to be afraid that there had been an accident. Katherine was always so punctual. Millie came in. “_Dear_ mother, what on earth!” “I’m waiting for Katherine. She was to be back at three from Rachel Seddon’s. We are—were—going to the Stores. You don’t think there can have been an accident?” “Katherine! Why, I saw her twenty minutes ago. I’ve just come back from Lady Carloes. Katie was at Hyde Park Corner with Philip.” “Philip!” Mrs. Trenchard got up, took off one black glove, then put it on again. She looked at the clock. “Will you come to the Stores with me, Millie? I’ve got to get some hot-water bottles and some other things.... Two of ours leak.... I’d like you to help me.” Millie looked once at the clock, and her mother saw her. Then Millie said: “Of course I will. We won’t be very long, will we?” “Why, no, dear,” said Mrs. Trenchard, who would have been happy to spend a week at the Stores had she the opportunity. “Quite a little time.” They set off together. Millie was not yet of such an age that she could disguise her thoughts. She was wondering about Katherine, and Mrs. Trenchard knew that this was so. Mrs. Trenchard always walked through the streets of London as a trainer in the company of his lions. Anything might happen, and one’s life was not safe for a moment, but a calm, resolute demeanour did a great deal, and, if trouble came, one could always use the whip: the whip was the Trenchard name. To-day, however, she gave no thought to London: she was very gentle and kind to Millie—almost submissive and humble. This made Millie very uncomfortable. “I’m rather foolish about the Stores, I’m afraid. I know several places where you can get better hot-water bottles and cheaper. But they know me at the Stores now.” Once she said: “I hope, Millie dear, I’m not keeping you from anything. We shall be home by half-past four.” In exchange for these two little remarks Millie talked a great deal, and the more she talked the more awkward she seemed. She was very unhappy about her mother, and she wished that she could comfort her, but she knew her so little and had been always on such careless terms with her that now she had no intuition about her.