Sarre she was told politely that no, that wasn't possible, not for at least an hour or more.

"But I'm his wife," explained Alethea.

"T know he'll see me besides, there aren't very many patients.

' "I'm sorry, Mevrouw van Diederijk, it isn't possible it has nothing to do with the patients.

' Surely Sarre hadn't given instructions that he didn't want to see

her?

But he didn't know that she would be coming.

Alethea fought an urge to burst into tears.

"Would you let him know I'm here?

' And if she had to go on much longer, she thought wearily, she would run out of her meagre, quite dreadful Dutch.

The nurse answered her with stony politeness.

"That is also not possible, mevrouw.

^ Something went pop inside Alethea's unhappy head.

She got up from the seat the nurse had begged her to take and before

that astonished young woman could do anything about it, had marched to

the nearest door and opened it.

What was more, she told herself as she did so, she would open every door in the place until she found him.

That her recklessness was due to the brandy she had drunk before she left the house to give her courage she chose to ignore.

She had the first door open before the nurse reached her.

She was aware of her urgent voice in her ear but she didn't listen.

The room was a large one with a long table down its centre; round it sat a number of soberly clad gentlemen, and at its head was Sarre.

Alethea shook off the nurse's restraining hand and began a march up the room, to be met almost at once by Sarre, who had leapt from his chair to meet her.

She said in a rather loud voice because of the brandy: "Sarre, I have to speak to you--now.

' She smiled at the gentlemen because she was feeling better now that she had found him.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something.

The nurse tried to stop me.

' Sarre's hand was on her arm.

He looked as though he wanted to laugh, although not a muscle of his

face moved.

"Supposing we go to my office, my dear?

' He spoke quietly and then raised his voice a little in order to

address their audience, who murmured in answer as he swept her out of the room.

It was very quiet in his office.

He offered her a chair and went to lean against the back of his great desk, his hands in his pockets.

"And what do you wish to tell me, Alethea?

' he asked her very gently.

"Something which necessitated you having a go at the brandy bottle.

' She said defiantly: "I'm not very brave, but it's all right now I'm

here.

Sarre, I thought I could go without telling you, but I can't, so Al

said he'd bring me here so I could see you on the way to the station.

' "So Al knows?

' She got out of her chair; she felt better standing.

"Well, he guessed.

' Sarre took a hand out of a pocket and inspected his nails.

"And I'm to be told too, or must I guess as well?

' "You wouldn't guess in a thousand years," declared Alethea in a voice

squeaky with emotion.

"I'm not coming back, Sarre.

' He put his hand back into his pocket and looked at her.

"T wondered if you had intended that.

It hasn't been all roses for you, has it?

The children--oh, don't look so surprised, I have eyes in my head and

my hearing is excellent-besides, they came and told me all about it.

But it's too late, perhaps--they've discovered that they're very fond of you, they wanted to go to England with you, did you know that?

just so that they could be sure that you would come back here.

And Anna--I have been at fault there.

I wanted to tease you a little to arouse your interest, make you

jealous, but now I don't suppose you will ever believe me if I tell you that we're friends and nothing more and that she plans to get married to a childhood sweetheart.

' He sighed.

"And Nanny--oh, she's your slave now, like every other member of the

household, but at the beginning she was eaten up with jealousy; and there is Penrose.