"Oh I'll be all right soon. How good of you to come. You've not been
hungry since?"
"No, no," said Priscilla, stroking his hands with her free hand and
giving them soothing pats as one would to a sick child.
"Really not? I've thought of that ever since. I've never got your face
that night out of my head. What had happened? While I was away--what
had happened?"
"Nothing--nothing had happened," said Priscilla hastily. "I was tired.
I had a mood. I get them, you know. I get angry easily. Then I like
to be alone till I'm sorry."
"But what had made you angry? Had I--?"
"No, never. You have never been anything but good and kind. You've
been our protecting spirit since we came here."
Tussie laughed shrilly, and immediately was seized by a coughing fit.
Lady Shuttleworth stood at the foot of the bed watching him with a
face from which happiness seemed to have fled for ever. Priscilla grew
more and more wretched, caught, obliged to stand there, distractedly
stroking his hands in her utter inability to think of anything else to
do.
"A nice protecting spirit," gasped Tussie derisively, when he could
speak.
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