also knew Rose, and they regarded Jervis Blake as a
very lucky man.

True, Mrs. Robey, when alone with her husband
after first hearing the news, had said, rather nervously,
"I hope more than ever _now_ that nothing will happen
to dear Jervis!" And he had turned on her almost
with ferocity: "Happen to Jervis? Of course nothing
will happen to Jervis! As I've often told you, it's
the impulsive, reckless boys who get killed -- not born
soldiers, like Jervis. He knows that his life is now
valuable to his country, and you may be sure that he
takes all reasonable precautions to preserve it."

And as she did not answer at once, he had gone on
hurriedly: "Of course one can't tell; we may see his
name in the list of casualties tomorrow morning!
But if I were you, my dear, I should not build a bridge
to meet trouble!"

As a matter of fact Mrs. Robey had no time to
waste on such an unprofitable occupation. Her
brother-in-law, the great surgeon, Sir Jacques Robey,
and all his best nurses had been now waiting for
quite a long time for wounded who never came; and
it required a good deal of diplomacy and tact on Mrs.
Robey's part to keep them all in a good humour, and
on fairly pleasant terms with her own original household.

Rose's engagement was now ten days old, and she
was about to start for her visit to her future parents-in-law,
when early one afternoon the Dean, who had
been lunching with Mr. and Mrs. Robey, rang the bell
of the Trellis House.

_"Die_Herrschaft_ist_nicht_zu_Hause"_ ("The family

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p239 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p240w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p241

v?