" Again Daisy stopped to sing. Muriel was stooping over the fire.
It was seldom that Nick's name was mentioned between them, though the
fact that Daisy had placed herself and her baby in the hands of
his half-brother formed a connecting link which could not always be
ignored. She always dropped into silence when a reference was made
to him. Not in the most casual conversation had Daisy ever heard her
utter his name.
Having successfully fixed her message of welcome in a prominent
position, she joined the girl in front of the fire. Her face was
flushed and her eyes were sparkling. Muriel thought that she had never
seen her look so well or so happy.
"You're quite excited," she said.
Daisy put up a hand to her hot cheek. "Yes, isn't it absurd? I hope
Dr. Jim won't come with him, or he will be cross. But I can't help it.
Blake and I have been chums all our lives, and of course I am glad to
see him after all this while. So nice, too, not to have Lady Bassett
looking on."
There was a spice of venom in this, over which Muriel smiled in her
sad way.
"Does she disapprove?" she asked.
Daisy nodded impatiently. "She chose altogether to overlook the fact
that we are first cousins. It was intolerable. But--" again came her
light laugh--"everything is intolerable till you learn to shrug your
shoulders and laugh.
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