"Oh, that's nothing," Toni said. "I like being out on these bright days, and I'm ever so glad I happened to be at the station." She shook hands with Mrs. Herrick, who looked a pitifully fragile figure as she stood beside the car; and then Toni gave the order for home, and Fletcher obeyed that order too promptly to allow of any further leave-takings. Just for one moment Jim Herrick stood looking after the car, and in his heart there was a great sickness of apprehension. With the best intention in the world to be fair to his wife, he could not help comparing the fresh, simple-hearted Toni with the world-weary and disillusioned Eva; and at the thought of the future his spirits sank to zero. A mocking voice broke on his ear as he watched the car gliding swiftly down the road. "When you've finished staring at that young woman, Jim, perhaps you'll open the gate." Eva stood back to allow him to reach the latch. "I must say this is a nice place to bring me to. Is it a cottage or what?" "It's quite a decent little place, dear," he said steadily, as he held open the gate for her to pass through. "Of course, I quite understand that it is only a temporary arrangement, but you will try to put up with it, won't you?" "I suppose I shall have to," she replied ungraciously; and then she uttered an impatient exclamation as the big white dog tore over the lawn to meet her master, uttering deep-throated bays of welcome the while. "You've still got that beast, then--go down, you brute," she added, as Olga approached, with instinctive courtesy, to greet her former mistress. "Don't snap at her, dear," said Herrick kindly. "The poor creature is only trying to say how do you do." "Then she can say it to someone else," said Eva curtly. "I hate big dogs--I wish you'd get rid of her." Herrick made no reply, but opened the door, and they went into the house together. Eva passed into the quaintly attractive sitting-room with a frown on her face, which lightened, however, at sight of the tea-table standing ready, and pulling off her gloves and coat she flung herself into a low chair with a sigh of fatigue. "Heavens, how thirsty I am," she said. "Give me some tea, Jim--quickly." And as he moved forward to obey her, her eyes followed him with a curious expression in their grey depths. "What's for dinner?" she asked, suddenly, and Herrick looked his memory to recall the _menu_. "Soup, roast chicken, plum tart, and a savoury," he said at last, smiling with a rather pathetic attempt at cheerfulness. "Mrs. Swastika, as I call her, is what is known as a 'good plain cook,' but anything at all elaborate throws her off her balance altogether." "Have you no other servants?" she demanded shortly. "Not yet. I didn't want them, you know, and I thought you would prefer to choose them yourself." "I? If I can get any," she said darkly, drawing her delicate brows together resentfully. "Of course they won't stay when they find out things; but we must be decently waited on."