They had held him a moment or so staring and then he had gone into the shop and asked for their catalogue.
"Yes, he knew," Dowie replied.
A letter had been written to London signed by Dowie and the models and patterns had been sent to the village and brought to the castle by Jock Macaur.

Later there had come rolls of fine flannel and lawn, with gossamer thread and fairy needles and embroidery floss.

Then the sewing began.
Doctor Benton had gradually begun to look forward to his daily visits with an interest stimulated by a curiosity become eager.

The most casual looker-on might have seen the change taking place in his patient day by day and he was not a casual looker-on.

Was the improvement to be relied upon?
Would the mysterious support suddenly fail them?
"What in God's name should we do if it did ?" he broke out unconsciously aloud one day when Dowie and he were alone together.
"If it did what, sir ?" she asked.
"If it stopped--the dream ?" Dowie understood.