At night she could walk about the town, go to the theatre, stroll along the Embankment and attract no man's offensive attentions.

She could enter where she liked for a meal, a cup of tea, frequent the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons when she would without waiting for a "ladies" day; stop to look at a street fight, cause no sour looks if she entered a smoking compartment on the train, mingle with the man-world unquestioned, unhindered, unnoticed, exciting at most a pleasant off-hand camaraderie due to her youth and good looks.
Should she go on with the bold adventure?
A thousand times yes! David should break no law in Vivie's code of honour, do real wrong to no one; but Vivie should see the life best worth living in London from a man's standpoint.
David however must be armed at every point and have his course clearly marked out before his contemplation.

He must steep himself in the geography of South Africa--Why not get Rossiter to propose him as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society?
That _would_ be a lark because they wouldn't admit women as members: they had refused Honoria Fraser.

David must read up--somewhere--the history of the South African War as far as it went.

He had better find out something about the Bechuanaland Police Force; how as a member of such a force he could have drifted as far south as the vicinity of Colesberg; how thereabouts he could have got sick enough--he certainly would say nothing more about a wound--to have been put into hospital.