He heard her retreating footsteps pass through the communicating door into his little sitting room, where he had purposely left a light burning.

He slipped softly from the bed and followed her.

She was bending over an open desk as he crossed the threshold.

He closed the door and stood with his back to it.
"Much warmer," he said, "only, you see, it isn't there." She started violently at the sound of his voice, but she did not immediately turn around.

When she did so, her demeanour was almost a shock to him.