Having quite approved of his going to India in the first place, it was not easy to go thoroughly into the subject of the numerous reasons why a man of his years and responsibilities ought to have realised that it was his duty to remain at home and take care of his wife.
"Incredible as it seems," she snapped, "the doctors _think_ there is a slight change, for the better." "Yes," Walderhurst answered.
He leaned against the mantel and gazed into the fire.
"She will come back," he added in a monotone.
Lady Maria stared at him.

She felt that the man was eerie, Walderhurst, of all men on earth! "Where do you think she has been ?" She professed to make the inquiry with an air of reproof.
"How should one know ?" rather with the old stiffness.

"It is impossible to tell." Lady Maria Bayne was not the person possessing the temperament to incline him to explain that, wheresoever the outer sphere might be to which the dying woman had been drifting, he had been following her, as far as living man could go.
The elderly house steward opened the door and spoke in the hollow whisper.
"The head nurse wished to know if your ladyship would be so good as to see Lord Oswyth before he goes to sleep." Walderhurst turned his head towards the man.

Lord Oswyth was the name of his son.

He felt a shock.
"I will come to the nursery," answered Lady Maria.