‘Then she’d better have the dog-cart. Does she go far?’

‘Only to Beldover.’

‘Ah!’ The elderly woman never looked at Gudrun, yet she seemed to take knowledge of her presence.

‘You are inclined to take too much on yourself, Gerald,’ said the mother, pulling herself to her feet, with a little difficulty.

‘Will you go, mother?’ he asked, politely.

‘Yes, I’ll go up again,’ she replied. Turning to Gudrun, she bade her ‘Good-night.’ Then she went slowly to the door, as if she were unaccustomed to walking. At the door she lifted her face to him, implicitly. He kissed her.