He could not bear to go to the house without some little gift for Eileen, and it was violets now as it was in the days that could never dawn again--a great, fragrant bunch of them, which he would leave for her after his brief play-hour with Drina was ended.
The child was glad to see him, and expressed herself so, coming across to the chair where he sat and leaning against him, one arm on his shoulder.
"Do you know," she said, "that I miss you ever so much?
Do you know, also, that I am nearly fourteen, and that there is nobody in this house near enough my age to be very companionable?
I have asked them to send me to school, and mother is considering it." She leaned against his shoulder, curly head bent, thoughtfully studying the turquoise ring on her slim finger.

It was her first ring.

Nina had let Boots give it to her.
"What a tall girl you are growing into!" he said, encircling her waist with one arm.

"Your mother was like you at fourteen.

.