It seemed impossible that she could be exactly
the same with him as she had been before, that was quite out of
the question, and yet how was she to be different?
Ten days had passed without his coming. This was so unusual that
an idea came into her mind which terrified her, and the first time
when the Doctor came in and found her alone she said, "Of course,
Dr. Wade, you have not mentioned to Mr. Bathurst the conversation
we had, but it is curious his not having been here since."
"Certainly I mentioned it," the Doctor said calmly; "how could I
do otherwise? It was evident to me that he would not be welcomed
here as he was before, and I could not do otherwise than warn him
of the change he might expect to find, and to give him the reason
for it."
Isobel stood the picture of dismay. "I don't think you had any
right to do so, Doctor," she said. "You have placed me in a most
painful position."
"In not so painful a one as it would have been, my dear, if he had
noticed the change himself, as he must have done, and asked for
the cause of it."
Isobel stood twisting her fingers over each other before her
nervously.
"But what am I to do?" she asked.
"I do not see that there is anything more for you to do," the Doctor
said. "Mr. Bathurst may not be perfect in all respects, but he is
certainly too much of a gentleman to force his visits where they
are not wanted. I do not say he will not come here at all, for not
to do so after being here so much would create comment and talk
in the station, which would be as painful to you as to him, but he
certainly will not come here more often than is necessary to keep
up appearances.
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