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think. Now'--she looked at Harry--'you might tell me where on earth you've been. They said you left the office before four, your car's still there. We couldn't find out anything from anyone with Father gone to York. "
    Before he could answer Gail said, "Let me get. your coat off, Father.
    Oh I it's wet. And your shoes and trousers, look. "
    "Well, don't stand there," said Esther; 'the carpet will be filthy.
    Go in to the cloakroom and take them off. Get your father's slippers, Terry. And stop dancing about, Gail. John, put the kettle on. "
    As she gave her orders she pushed Harry towards the cloakroom, and there he sat down and pulled his shoes and socks off and turned the bottom of his trousers up. When she bent down and felt them she said,
    "They're absolutely wringing," and at
    this he was forced to retort snarply 'well perhaps you haven't noticed, Esther, it's snowing outside. "
    She answered this with a stiff silence for a moment; then she asked in her usual controlled tone, "Where have you been?"
    He bowed his head and rubbed his brow with his hand as he said, "After the party some of the staff couldn't get home, I ... I helped one or two on their way, then I got sort of lost and found myself round by Janet's, and I was so exhausted I went in ..."
    "You mean to say you've been at Janet's all this time!" Her voice was indignant now.
    "Not all the time; I don't know how long." He couldn't say not more than twenty minutes.
    "But I just had to call in, I was dead beat.
    You've got no idea what it's like outside. "
    "She could have sent Robbie to say you were there. That's the least she could have done."
    "I wouldn't let her," he lied.
    "She wanted to but I wouldn't let her.
    Now if you don't mind, Esther, I want to get near the fire. " He got to his feet and pushed past her in the narrow space and went out into the hall, there to see John standing with his slippers in his hand. He took them from him, saying, " Thanks';
    then still in his bare feet he went into the sitting-room, and as he dropped on to the couch Gail took the slippers from him and slipped them on to his feet, then said, "You should go upstairs, Dad, and change your trousers, they're very wet."
    "I will in a minute, dear." He nodded at her.
    "Do you want anything, a hot drink or anything?" Esther was standing before the couch, and without looking at her he shook his head and said, "All I want is to get to bed."
    "I'll go and put your electric blanket on." Gail ran out of the room and he pulled himself to his feet again, saying, "I'll be all right tomorrow, I just want to sleep." He had not looked Esther straight in the face yet.
    When he entered the room Gail was turning down his bed, and when she came at him and flung her arms round his waist, saying, "Oh, Dad, I was worried; I thought you had dropped into a drift or something," he felt his whole body. stiffen. She was the same size, the same height as Betty Ray. Her body felt like Betty Ra^'s. When she put her hands up on. to his lapels to 67
    ncip nun on wun nis coat ne cnrust ner rrom mm, and, tils voice rough, almost a growl, he said, "Don't. Don't do that."
    It was the first time in his life he had repulsed her. Always he had opened his arms wide to her; always he had hugged her close. She stepped back from him, her hand up to her cheek, her eyes wide and slowly filling with tears, and then she was running from the room.
    He followed her swiftly towards the door but when he reached it he stopped abruptly and closed it and leant his back against it. This was only the beginning.
    FOUR
    It was three weeks before Harry returned to the office, and if he was grateful for anything during that time it was for the respite.
    When, on Christmas Eve, his temperature having risen with alarming rapidity, Esther sent for the doctor--who pronounced a severe dose of influenza--the one clear thought in Harry's' mind was. Thank God I won't have to go in on Wednesday.
    Looking back he didn't remember much about Christmas