"I am dealing," said Char magnificently, "with an organization." "Even so, my dear, it's made up of human beings. But as it's tea-time and I'm extremely hungry," said Lady Vivian, with a side-glance at Miss Bruce, "we'd better postpone discussion until this evening. I don't know whether you feel human enough to leave your papers and eat bread and jam with the rest of us, but I dare say that Grace and Miss Bruce won't give you away to the staff if you do." The outraged Miss Vivian left the last word to the ribald spirit apparently animating her parent. XVIII Captain Trevellyan's Medical Board had passed him fit for active service again, and he made matter-of-fact announcement of his approaching return to France in the course of that evening. "Do you know when, Johnnie?" "Next draft that goes, I suppose. I rejoin the battalion the day after tomorrow, and it might be any day after that." Exclamations were left to Miss Bruce. Grace and Joanna received the news almost in silence, and Char remained monosyllabic. "Will you smoke in the library, John?" said Joanna as she rose from the dining-table. "We'll have coffee there. We can also talk business, Char, if you want to." "Then, shall I--?" said Miss Bruce, looking at Grace and feeling strongly inclined to say "Shall we--?" Joanna laid her hand on the little secretary's shoulder. "Of course not, Miss Bruce. You know we count you as one of the family." In the library a certain tenseness of atmosphere prevailed, until Joanna had finally dismissed the coffee equipage, and leant back in a great leather arm-chair under the lamp. John, next her, had taken up his favourite position on the hearthrug, and was smoking in meditative silence, his eyes now and then seeking Grace, whose head was bent over a piece of needlework. Char, presumably from force of habit, had seated herself at the writing-table, and Miss Bruce took a low chair beside her, gazing dumbly from her to Lady Vivian and back again, as though a divided loyalty harassed her thoughts. Char broke the silence. "Mother, you spoke about letting this place this afternoon. Is that what you mean to do?" "No. I only said that it was in my power to let it, but as a matter of fact, since your Uncle Charles has no wish to make any change until the war is over, he and I have agreed that it had better be made use of. He is quite willing that I should do whatever seems best and most necessary." Miss Bruce uttered an exclamation. "Red Cross work, do you mean?" Char made a movement to check her, as though unwilling to let any display of surprise greet Joanna's announcement.