“Before I had time to be frightened you smiled, something of your colour came back. Margaret, that reminds me. Do you mind if I suggest to you that if you were really seedy Dr. Kennedy is comparatively a young man....” She laughed. “But look how devoted he is!” “That is why.” He spoke a little gravely, and she put her hand in his. “Jealous!” Her voice was very soft. “The whole world loves you.” “I don’t love the whole world.” And when she said this her voice was no longer only soft, it was tenderness itself. “Thank God!” He kissed her hand. But returned to his text as a man will. “No, I am not jealous. How could I be? You have honoured me, dowered me beyond all other men. But you are so precious, so supremely and unutterably precious. Margaret, my heart is suddenly shaken. Tell me again. You are not ill, not really ill? When this trying time is over, when I can be with you always....” “How about those hours I want to myself?” she interrupted. “When I can be within sound of you, taking care of you all the time, you will be well then?” Now she put a hand on his knee. “Your little fairy hand!” he exclaimed, capturing it. “I want you to listen,” she began. She did not know or believe herself that she was seriously ill, but remembered what Dr. Lansdowne had said and shivered over it a little. “Suppose I am really ill, that it is heart disease with me as the German doctors and Lansdowne told me? Not only heart weakness as the others say, would you be afraid? Do you think I ought not to ... to marry?” “My darling, it is impossible, your beautiful vitality makes it impossible. But if it were true, incredibly true, then all the more reason that we should be married as quickly as possible. I must snatch you up, carry you away.” There was an interlude. “You want petting....” He was a little awkward at it nevertheless, inexperienced. “Isn’t there some great man you could see, and who would reassure you, some specialist?” “The Roopes?” She laughed, and her short fit of seriousness was over. “I will find out who is the best man, the head of the profession. No one but the best is good enough for my Margaret. You will let me take you to him?” “Perhaps. When I come back to London; if I am not well by then.” “You like this place, don’t you?” he asked. “You don’t think it is the place?” “Pineland and Carbies? I am not sure. If I had not taken it for three months I believe I’d go back today or tomorrow. I ran away from you ... and social guns. I’m armed now.” He thanked her for that mutely. “Do you really love this ill-fixed house?” “How should I not? But what does that matter? Leave it empty if it doesn’t suit you. There is Queen Anne’s Gate.” “I know, but we should never be alone.” “Nothing matters but that you should be well, happy. I’d take my vacation now, stay down, only I want at least six weeks in June. I could not do with less than six weeks.” And this time the interlude was longer, more silent. Margaret recovered herself first.