“A journey ordered by the doctors in India a year since,” rejoined Mrs. Vanborough.  “They said Blanche’s health required English air.  Sir Thomas was ill at the time, and his wife couldn’t leave him.  She had to send the child to England, and who should she send her to but me?  Look at her now, and say if the English air hasn’t agreed with her!  We two mothers, Mr. Kendrew, seem literally to live again in our children.  I have an only child.  My friend has an only child.  My daughter is little Anne—­as I was.  My friend’s daughter is little Blanche—­as she was.  And, to crown it all, those two girls have taken the same fancy to each other which we took to each other in the by-gone days at school.  One has often heard of hereditary hatred.  Is there such a thing as hereditary love as well?”

Before the guest could answer, his attention was claimed by the master of the house.

“Kendrew,” said Mr. Vanborough, “when you have had enough of domestic sentiment, suppose you take a glass of wine?”

The words were spoken with undisguised contempt of tone and manner.  Mrs. Vanborough’s color rose.  She waited, and controlled the momentary irritation.  When she spoke to her husband it was evidently with a wish to soothe and conciliate him.

“I am afraid, my dear, you are not well this evening?”

“I shall be better when those children have done clattering with their knives and forks.”

The girls were peeling fruit.  The younger one went on.  The elder stopped, and looked at her mother.  Mrs. Vanborough beckoned to Blanche to come to her, and pointed toward the French window opening to the floor.

“Would you like to eat your fruit in the garden, Blanche?”

“Yes,” said Blanche, “if Anne will go with me.”

Anne rose at once, and the two girls went away together into the garden, hand in hand.  On their departure Mr. Kendrew wisely started a new subject.  He referred to the letting of the house.

“The loss of the garden will be a sad loss to those two young ladies,” he said.  “It really seems to be a pity that you should be giving up this pretty place.”

“Leaving the house is not the worst of the sacrifice,” answered Mrs. Vanborough.  “If John finds Hampstead too far for him from London, of course we must move.  The only hardship that I complain of is the hardship of having the house to let.”

Mr. Vanborough looked across the table, as ungraciously as possible, at his wife.

“What have you to do with it?” he asked.

Mrs. Vanborough tried to clear the conjugal horizon b y a smile.