She was not able to fulfill all her former public duties, and she fretted greatly at the enforced inaction.

She was one of those characters who would rather wear out than rust out, and it required the utmost firmness on the part of her doctor to persuade her from over-exerting herself.

Instead of being in a continual whirl of creche committee meetings, workhouse inspections, and creche management, she now spent long quiet afternoons in the shaded drawing-room learning that (to her) hardest of all lessons, how to rest! Winona, busy with the last exciting weeks of the school term, was too occupied to give much thought to her aunt, but could not help remarking that the latter's spirits had failed lately.

Miss Beach was far gentler than of yore.

She did not snap her niece up so suddenly, or give vent to excited tirades about subjects which irritated her.