And after that the remaining days flew by.

Sarre was away from home for a good deal of the day and they didn't dine alone; either the children joined them for a special treat or Wien and, or on the last night of all, Anna, making a rather uneasy party of three.

She had apologised for dining with them, but as she had pointed out to Alethea, there were one or two questions which had to be settled before Sarre went to Hamburg and there hadn't been time at the hospital.

So the conversation was largely in her hands and his, and although Alethea was included as often as possible, she couldn't help but feel rather out of it.

But Sarre had made up for it afterwards; they were to go on the following evening and he would have to operate as usual in the morning and see his patients in the afternoon.

"So we shan't see much of each other tomorrow," he told her, taking her hands in his.

"I've enjoyed every moment of being with you, my dear.

It only remains for you to tell me if you still want to marry me.

' "Well, I do.

' He smiled and kissed her, briefly and coolly as though it didn't matter much.

"Good.

And I'm sure the children are delighted with you, just as everyone else is.

' "They're all absolutely super," she told him warmly.

Wild horses wouldn't have made her tell him about the horror of finding

one ofSarel's white rats in her bed the night before.

She had seen the covers moving and had almost died of fright before she dared to pull them slowly down and disclose the small animal.

And even though it had been late she had nerved herself to pick it up

and carry it all the way upstairs to Sarel's room.

The light was still on, for the door wasn't quite shut; she had knocked

gently and gone in to find the boy with his eyes closed, but not, she had been sure, asleep.

She had touched him lightly on a bony shoulder and somehow or other

managed to sound as though carrying rats around the house late at night was commonplace to her.

*I found him in my room," she told him.

"He's frightened out of his life, poor little beast I expect someone left a door open.

Where would you like me to put him?

' The blue eyes regarded her with surprise and something like respect.

"T'll have him.

' Sarel had got out of bed and taken the creature in his hand, and

Alethea had shuddered strongly as it crept into his pyjama sleeve.

"Don't you mind rats?

' asked Sarel.

"Well, they're not my favourite pet," she had answered cheerfully, 'but

he's rather nice, isn't he?

What's his name?

' "Caesar.

' Sarel had scowled suddenly and turned his back on her.

"Thank you for bringing him back.

Goodnight.

' Alethea had said goodnight in a normal voice and gone back to her room.

CHAPTER SIX.

after the s.p.a.ce and grandeur of Sarre's home, Alethea found her grandmother's cottage Lilliputian, especially while Sarre was with her, for his head missed the ceiling by inches and he filled the small rooms with his size.

But it was nice to be home again, to be hugged and made much of by Mrs Thomas and Mrs Bustle.

And the journey back with Sarre had been unexpectedly fun; she had thought of him as a rather quiet man and a delightful companion, but not given to the lighthearted banter indulged in by Wien and, and she was at first rather surprised and then delighted at an apparently unending stream of anecdotes about himself and his family, some of them quite outrageous, and mingled in with them charming little tales of his children.

They had crossed on the night ferry from the Hock and arrived at the cottage in time for a late breakfast, a long-drawn-out meal because the two older ladies wanted a blow-by-blow account of Alethea's holiday and now that Sarre was to be one of the family, questions were fired at him too, all of which he answered with the greatest good nature.

It was later when Alethea had unpacked and shown Sarre his room that they fell to discussing the wedding and since he would have to return on the evening of the following day, the two of them left the older ladies over their coffee, and strolled down to the village, to make sure that the vicar had the time and the date right.

It was a pleasant day and they didn't hurry, and when they had been to the vicarage they decided to continue their walk; lunch was to be later than usual, and they had plenty of time.

They went round the side of the church and up a narrow rutted lane winding away into the quiet country around the village, talking of nothing in particular, and Alethea felt how restful Sarre was to be with.

He wasn't Nick, of course, but he had shown that he could be very amusing and never, she had noted, at anyone's expense, and he never criticised her appearance.

If her hair was coming loose, he merely tucked the end behind an ear or brushed it back without a word and he remembered to tell her that she looked nice.

With a pang she remembered the evening in the restaurant when everything had gone wrong; Nick hadn't noticed her new dress. It was strange, she mused, that Sarre, who didn't appear to notice anything, made all the right remarks about her clothes, and Nick, who was an expert on such matters, had never got beyond a vague: "That's nice."

Following her train of thought she said aloud: "I've bought a new outfit for the wedding. I hope you'll like it." He looked down at her, smiling lazily.

"I'm sure I shall is it to be a surprise?" "Well, yes. It's supposed to be, you know.

Though it really doesn't matter I mean, it's not quite the same as.

' He laughed a little.

"You mean that we are both past the stage of white satin and veils and hordes of bridesmaids.

Should you have liked that?

' Alethea recoiled in horror.

"Lord, no!

I'm twenty-seven, Sarre besides, how can one possibly enjoy one's

wedding if one is fussing about veils and bouquets and guests?

' "You intend to enjoy our wedding?

' "Yes.

Don't you?

' She added hastily: "That was a silly thing for me to ask.

I'm sorry.

I was only thinking we're friends and I feel comfortable with you and

you know all about me.

I don't know much about you and I only want to know what you wish to

tell me I'll never encroach, I promise you, Sarre.

' She added thoughtfully: "Being friends is very restful.

' He glanced down at her.

"Yes, so much more restful than being in love.

' She went pink.

"Yes.

Will you fly over for the wedding?

' "No Wien and and I will drive and he'll fly back.

We'll get here the evening before.

Which reminds me, I wanted to ask you about witnesses at the register

office.