' He leaned back in his chair, studying her quite openly.

"Tell me about yourself," he invited.

"There's nothing to tell.

' She spoke too quickly and he said softly: "Ah, I see that I must wait.

What does William intend to do at the end of the year?

' It was easy enough to talk about William.

"He's going to try for a surgical job--somewhere where he'll get plenty of experience-the Midlands.

' "You will go with him?

' The?

No.

He'll live in wherever he is; besides, he'll be moving around until he feels he can try for a registrar's post and his Fellowship.

' "And you will stay at St Elmer's?

' "Well, yes.

' She saw her future in her mind's eye and didn't much care for it.

She added rather crossly.

"What else should I do?

' "I can think of a number of things.

Shall we have coffee in the sitting room?

' She poured their coffee from the little silver Queen Anne coffee pot into Spode china cups and pa.s.sed him the sugar.

The curtains were drawn now and the room looked, despite its magnificence, delightfully homelike.

She cast a lingering look around her and caught her companion's eye.

"This is a lovely house, and when one is in it, one forgets that London is just outside.

' He agreed gravely.

"And yet I prefer the country, as I believe you do.

Do you ride, Elizabeth?

' "Yes at least, I used to.

We had a pony when we were children, and then there was Beauty.

my stepbrother wanted to sell them after my father's death, but we persuaded him not to.

They'll be old now I hope they're well cared for.

' "Why not?

perhaps they are out to graze at some farm.

' "There were some people called Truscott they had a farm near Chifney, they may have taken them.

' "What did you call the pony?

' His voice He nodded.

"You plan to stay in hospital?

You have no thought of marrying?

' She grinned engagingly.

"No thought at all.

You see, I'm not very well endowed.

A plain girl with some money might get married, but a plain girl without any doesn't stand much of a chance.

If I were pretty it would be easy enough to get married.

Men," stated Beth seriously, 'like pretty girls.

' He was peeling a peach, now he put it on a plate and handed it to her and began one one for himself.

"Of course men like pretty girls; it would be a strange world if we didn't.

' He smiled suddenly.

"The children think you're pretty, did you know that?

' "No--and how nice of you to tell me; people usually keep nice things to themselves and pa.s.s on the nasty remarks.

' "You sound bitter, dear girl.

' He leaned back in his chair, studying her quite openly.

"Tell me about yourself," he invited.

"There's nothing to tell.

' She spoke too quickly and he said softly: "Ah, I see that I must wait.

What does William intend to do at the end of the year?

' It was easy enough to talk about William.

"He's going to try for a surgical job--somewhere where he'll get plenty of experience-the Midlands.

' "You will go with him?

' The?

No.

He'll live in wherever he is; besides, he'll be moving around until he feels he can try for a registrar's post and his Fellowship.

' "And you will stay at St Elmer's?

' "Well, yes.

' She saw her future in her mind's eye and didn't much care for it.

She added rather crossly.

"What else should I do?

' "I can think of a number of things.

Shall we have coffee in the sitting room?

' She poured their coffee from the little silver Queen Anne coffee pot into Spode china cups and pa.s.sed him the sugar.

The curtains were drawn now and the room looked, despite its magnificence, delightfully homelike.

She cast a lingering look around her and caught her companion's eye.

"This is a lovely house, and when one is in it, one forgets that London is just outside.

' He agreed gravely.

"And yet I prefer the country, as I believe you do.

Do you ride, Elizabeth?

' "Yes at least, I used to.

We had a pony when we were children, and then there was Beauty.

my stepbrother wanted to sell them after my father's death, but we persuaded him not to.

They'll be old now I hope they're well cared for.

' "Why not?

perhaps they are out to graze at some farm.

' "There were some people called Truscott they had a farm near Chifney, they may have taken them.

' "What did you call the pony?

' His voice was placid and she glanced at him; he didn't look tired now; he was unwinding.

"Sugar he loved it.

IfTruscotts took them they wouldn't be far away they were at the other end of the village.

' "Ah Chimey.

' Beth shook her head.

"No, that's my home, the village is Lang ton Magna.

' "A small village with a long name, I take it?

' "That's right, it's very pretty there.