The post brought me a letter from my dear one--my husband--and I hid myself away to read it. WILFRID BRUDENELL. When does Dun start for home, Les? LESLIE. I don’t know; this was written the day before yesterday. JANET PREECE. Your husband? You--you are married? LESLIE. Married! Ah, I forget that my poor invalid knows nothing about her nurse. Let me tell you. I mustn’t blame you for not guessing it; but I am that exceedingly important person, a newly-married lady. I am Mrs. Renshaw. JANET PREECE. [_Taking LESLIE’S hand._] Mrs.--Renshaw. I shall say the name to myself over and over again that I may seem to have known you longer. Mrs.--Renshaw. LESLIE. Yes, and my husband is in Rome preparing our first real home. You will see him soon--oh, I hope very soon. JANET PREECE. I should like to see one who is so precious to you, of course--only---- LESLIE. Only--what? JANET PREECE. Only I know that when your dear companion comes back I shall lose you. LESLIE. Hush, hush! You mustn’t distress yourself; you will be ill again. JANET PREECE. I would be ill again, gladly, if I could see your face constantly bending over me as I have seen it for the last three days. Oh, Mrs. Renshaw, why have you been so good to me, a stranger? WILFRID BRUDENELL. I say, Leslie, aren’t Dun’s letters furious about Mrs. Stonehay’s bad behaviour? JANET PREECE. Mrs. Stonehay! I can’t go back to her! Oh, don’t send me back to Mrs. Stonehay! Oh, don’t, please don’t! LESLIE. No, dear, no--of course not. [_To WILFRID._] Why, I haven’t written a word to Dun about our little visitor and Mrs. Stonehay’s resentment at our sheltering her. If I had, the dear fellow would have flown home to fight my battles for me, and left his business unfinished. I know Dun. JANET PREECE. Mrs. Stonehay’s resentment at your giving me shelter! Oh, why should she be so cruel to me! LESLIE. Hush, dear--it is Mrs. Stonehay’s nature to be jealous and arrogant. When she discovered that her dependent, as she called you, was installed here as my friend, she indignantly reproached me for enticing you from her service. WILFRID BRUDENELL. I never saw a woman so angry. I had the honour of bowing her out at the front door, and she declared she shook the dust of the Villa Colobiano from her feet; luckily, it was only a figure of speech, for her feet are very large. [_PRISCILLA enters._] PRISCILLA. Miss Stonehay is here, ma’am. [_PRISCILLA retires._] JANET PREECE. Oh, Mrs. Renshaw! LESLIE. Don’t be alarmed, Janet. You don’t know that during the last three days the face you have seen bending over you has often been poor Irene’s. [_IRENE enters, and appears agitated._] LESLIE. Irene. You are trembling--there is some trouble? IRENE. [_Quietly to LESLIE._] Yes--I’ve come to tell you. Janet, I am glad to see you almost well again. Don’t you believe me? JANET PREECE. [_Shrinking from her._] Yes--I--I am better. IRENE. Ah, don’t be frightened of me--not of _me_! Janet!