"Oh no! you ought not. Infection--I am steeped in it."
"Nonsense," and she was gathered into the strong grasp that was home
and rest to her, while Miles was weeping uncontrollably as he held
her in his arms. "O, Nannie, Nannie! I did not think it would be
like this. Why did they keep me till he was gone? No, I did not
get the telegram, I only heard at the station. They let me go this
morning, and I did think I should have been in time." He loosed
himself from her, and hung over the balustrade, struggling with a
strong man's anguish, then said in a low voice, "Did he want me?"
"He knew it was your duty," said Anne. "We all were thankful you
were kept from infection, and he said many little things, but the
chief was that he trusted you too much to leave any special
messages. Hark! that must be Mr. Charnock, Cecil's father! I must
go and receive him. Stay back, Miles, you can't now--you know my
room--"
He signed acquiescence, but lingered in the dark to look down and
see how, though Rosamond had waited to spare them this reception,
his wife's tall graceful figure came forward, and her kindly
comforting gestures, as the two sisters-in-law took the newcomer
into the drawing-room, and in another minute Anne flitted up to him
again.
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