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amusement, as he had an appointment with his lawyer.
'I shall arrange for your allowance at the same time,' he went on. 'It will be
paid to you once a month, and what you do with it is your own affair. But
when you've spent it there will be no more until the next is due.'
'Thank you very much.' She looked up at him timidly. 'As long as you're
going out, I think I'll lie down in my room.'
'Do anything you like ' He frowned suddenly, noticing her pallor. 'Are you
all right?'
'My leg - it hurts dreadfully.'
'How long has it been hurting?'
'It started again an hour ago.'
His frown deepened.
'Again ? Has it troubled you before ?'
'Once or twice.'
'When?' He sounded anxious, she thought. 'You said Dr. Evans was
perfectly satisfied with it.'
'He did say so, but it started to ache the first time I went to see him, and
several times since.'
'Why didn't you mention it before you came away?'
'I forgot,' was the lame reply and, as his eyes narrowed sceptically, Janis
hurried on, 'It didn't hurt very much - not like it does now.'
'Nevertheless, you should have told the doctor. Is the pain very bad, then ?'
'Yes, but it will go when I've rested it, it always does.'
'Go and get into bed and I'll send for my own doctor,' Perry said, after a
thoughtful pause. 'He will soon find out what's wrong. I wish you'd told me
immediately it began to trouble you,' he ended, with a sudden flash of anger.
Limping to the door, Janis wondered how she would get upstairs. Perry
came behind her.
'I'll take you.' He picked her up, and she had a strange sensation of
helplessness, and comfort, as her cheek rested against his coat.
Not to the back stairs this time, nor to the modest little room next to Bebby's,
but to the large-windowed, high- ceilinged room adjoining his. He set her
down gently on the bed; watched with narrowed eyes as she stared round
disbelievingly; heard the gasp of astonishment - and distaste - which
escaped her.
'Don't you like it?' His voice was harsh.
Janis shivered.
'It's so different from the rest of the house ... at least, from the rooms I've
seen.'
The furniture, the curtains, the covers and even the carpet emanated the
disagreeable odour of newness. They were new, all in the palest shade of
green. Expensive, ultra-modern, and totally without character. Janis had the
impression of something grotesque, hideous, suppressing the natural
warmth of what had once been a beautiful room.
Who could have committed such - sacrilege? Not Perry. ... Then who? The
other girl! The one he should have married. Janis caught her breath; Perry
must have loved her very much to have allowed this change, even in her own
room.
'It's nice, though,' Janis added, her lack of enthusiasm bringing-an
astonished exclamation from her husband.
'I believe you actually dislike it!'
'No.' She feared she had given the impression of ingratitude. 'It doesn't
match the rest of the house, that's all. But it's nice,' she repeated, 'and must
have cost a lot of money ' Janis broke off, convinced that there was little, if
any, sincerity in her voice.
'It did,' replied Perry in grim tones, 'and that's-most important, isn't it?'
She stared up at his hard face with grave, apologetic eyes.
'I sounded ungrateful, I know. Please forgive me, I'm really very grateful to
you. I haven't thanked you enough for all those lovely clothes, and ' she
fingered the pearls she had worn for her wedding - 'I would like to thank you
again for these '
'There's no need,' he cut in shortly. 'Your suitcase is over there, by the
dressing table. Bebby must have brought it up for you.'
'My case ? Where did it come from ?'
'The police station. I telephoned yesterday to inquire about it. They sent it
over this morning.'
Slipping off the bed, Janis limped to the dressing table.
'It's a wonder you didn't have to describe the contents - or something.'
Perry smiled faintly.
'They know me well enough.'
Putting her case on the bed, Janis opened it.
'I thought I'd nothing to give you, but I have now.' She found what she
wanted, and looked shyly up at him. 'It isn't very valuable, but I hope you'll
like it.' She held out a gold signet ring, her mother's gift to her father on their
wedding day - and Janis's most treasured possession. 'Will you have it?' She
asked the question humbly, and a little desperately too, for so much seemed
to depend on his acceptance of her gift. But if he noticed the pleading in her
voice he chose to ignore it. His tone resumed its former hardness as he said,
'You and I made an agreement for our mutual benefit, Janis. There was
nothing sentimental about it, I want you to remember that - always. The
pearls were Avril's idea, not mine. She rang me while you were at the
hairdressers, and I allowed her to get them against my better judgment.
Under the circumstances, it would not be fair for me to take your ring which,
I presume, once belonged to your father.'
'Avrii bought the pearls. ...?' Janis looked away in quick confusion. 'I'm
sorry, I wouldn't have offered you the ring if I'd known.' Then she managed a
wan little smile. 'You think me silly and sentimental, but I'm not really. I
shall remember in future.'
'Good girl; now lie down and rest. Would you like me to send Bebby up to
you?'
Janis was tying the ring up in the corner of a handkerchief from which she
had taken it. She spoke almost to herself, seeming to miss Perry's question.
'It would have been a birthday present, too.'
Perry moved impatiently.
'Shall I send Bebby up to you?' he repeated in a brusque voice.
'Bebby? Oh, yes, please, I should like that very much.'
Dr. Grant came later in the afternoon, and made a thorough examination.
Then, as he gazed at the white, childish face, his anger rose. The girl
required immediate attention - and her husband was out. Out on his wedding
day!
An intimate friend of Perry's late uncle, Dr. Grant had known all about the
will, so was not ignorant of the reason for this hasty marriage. Nevertheless,
he had been utterly taken aback when Perry had telephoned asking him to
attend his wife, for he had seen him in London only last week, where he had
intended staying until after the sale. He had no intention of marrying then,
but the doctor had suspected that Perry was desperately homesick, and his
return had not surprised him. But to find him married!
'When do you expect him back?' he inquired impatiently of Bebby.
'Not until late. He's dining out.'
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