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for letting him come. If she is too ill, he will not tell her anything, and he may be troublesome and want another opinion. If, on the other hand, she is too well—” He shrugged and made a gesture, “You understand—if there is valuable information going, there is no need that she should be able to take it in, and yet she must not be too obviously unable. And that is what I mean by the exact psychological moment.”
    â€œWhat are you going to do?” said Catherine Werner.
    â€œI am telling Mr Rimington that he can come down to-morrow. You will have to put on that nurse’s dress.”
    â€œIt doesn’t suit me.”
    â€œAnd what does that matter? He’s not being had down here for you to get off with him, is he? Besides, you look very well in it—I told you so when you tried it on.”
    She made a face, turned with a flick of her red skirt, and went towards the door. But before she reached it she stopped.
    â€œWhen is Vassili coming back?” she said.
    Alec Stevens blew out a cloud of smoke.
    â€œI don’t know, and I don’t care,” he said.

CHAPTER IX
    â€œUnfortunately, my cousin had to leave his wife almost immediately. He had business in France which could hardly be set aside. As the only possible treatment was a complete rest, it was really better for him to be out of the way. She is progressing very favourably.”
    Mr Rimington inclined his head.
    â€œI am glad to hear it. And you think she will be able to attend to business?”
    Alec Stevens pursed up his lips.
    â€œWell, I hardly know what to say. You will have to judge for yourself. Don’t tire her, and don’t excite her. I think the nurse had better remain in the room, if you don’t mind.”
    Mr Rimington lifted a large white hand an inch or two from his knee and let it fall again.
    â€œI would rather see her alone,” he said in his ridiculously soft voice.
    He was a large man with a bald head and strongly marked black eyebrows. Everything about him was large except his voice. His smooth white face had no lines. His heavy white eyelids drooped over eyes of a most peculiar pale blue.
    â€œWell, you’d better come up,” said Alec Stevens, and led the way. “The nurse will be handy if you want her. She can wait on the landing.”
    Mr Rimington made no reply. He appeared to require all his breath for the quite easy ascent.
    At the top of the stairs Alec Stevens turned and knocked upon a door. Catherine Werner opened it—but a Catherine who was hardly recognizable in her trim blue uniform and snowy cap and apron.
    Alec Stevens led the way round the screen.
    â€œWell,” he said, “here is Mr Rimington. And I’ve told him that he mustn’t tire you. You must say at once if you find you are getting tired—Mr Rimington.”
    Mr Rimington came round the screen and saw Laura in her embroidered shawl propped high against pillows. She made on him an instant and very strong impression. She had been ill, she was recovering, she was a singularly beautiful young woman; but behind and beyond these things there was something else; he did not quite know what it was, but it impressed him. He touched her hand, sat down on the chair between the bed and the screen, and heard Alec Stevens and the nurse go out of the room. He listened for the click of the latch, but the door closed quietly.
    Mr Rimington nodded very slightly and turned to the bed.
    â€œI am told that I must not tire you, so I will come to the point as quickly as possible. And as you have been ill, it will be best if I just run over the preliminaries, because, you see, I do not really understand how much you know.”
    Laura spoke in a soft fluttering voice.
    â€œDr Stevens said—you were—Mr Hallingdon’s solicitor.”
    â€œYes—his solicitor—and one of the executors of his will. I am here in both capacities.” He paused, turned his head, and