"It's just got to run its course."
Whereupon Ridley heaved a deep sigh. He was genuinely sorry for every
one, but at the same time he missed Helen considerably, and was a little
aggrieved by the constant presence of the two young men.
They moved back into the drawing-room.
"Look here, Hirst," said Terence, "there's nothing to be done for two
hours." He consulted the sheet pinned to the door. "You go and lie down.
I'll wait here. Chailey sits with Rachel while Helen has her luncheon."
It was asking a good deal of Hirst to tell him to go without waiting for
a sight of Helen. These little glimpses of Helen were the only respites
from strain and boredom, and very often they seemed to make up for the
discomfort of the day, although she might not have anything to tell
them. However, as they were on an expedition together, he had made up
his mind to obey.
Helen was very late in coming down. She looked like a person who has
been sitting for a long time in the dark. She was pale and thinner,
and the expression of her eyes was harassed but determined. She ate
her luncheon quickly, and seemed indifferent to what she was doing. She
brushed aside Terence's enquiries, and at last, as if he had not spoken,
she looked at him with a slight frown and said:
"We can't go on like this, Terence. Either you've got to find another
doctor, or you must tell Rodriguez to stop coming, and I'll manage
for myself.
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