At last he leaned back with a little sigh of relief.

He had barely done so before the door behind him was opened.
"Are we going to stay in here, Mummy, or are we going into the drawing-room ?" Nora asked.
"In here, I think," he heard Philippa reply.
Then they both came in, followed by Helen.

Nora was the first to see him and rushed forward with a little cry of surprise.
"Why, here's Dad!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms around his neck.
"Daddy, how dare you be sitting here all by yourself whilst we are having dinner! When did you get back?
What a fish!" Sir Henry closed down his desk, embraced his daughter, and came forward to meet his wife.
"Fine fellow, isn't he, Nora!" he agreed.

"Well, Philippa, how are you?
Pleased to see me, I hope?
Another new frock, I believe, and in war time!" "Fancy your remembering that it was war time!" she answered, standing very still while he leaned over and kissed her.
"Nasty one for me," Sir Henry observed good-humouredly.

"How well you're looking, Helen! Any news of Dick yet ?" Helen attempted an expression of extreme gravity with more or less success.
"Nothing fresh," she answered.
"Well, well, no news may be good news," Sir Henry remarked consolingly.
"Jove, it's good to feel a roof over one's head again! This morning has been the only patch of decent weather we've had." "This morning was lovely," Helen assented.