“You mustn’t catch cold,” she said. “Let us go in.”
It was still only half-past ten: all this flatness and failure had lasted but a couple of hours, and Major Ames, as soon as his wife had gone upstairs, let himself out of the house. His way lay past the doors of the club, but he did not enter, merely observing through its lit windows that there were a good many men in the smoking-room. On arrival at the Doctor’s he found that Elsie and her father were playing chess in the drawing-room, and that Mrs. Evans was out in the garden. He chose to go straight into the garden, and found her sitting under the mulberry, dressed in white, and looking rather like the Milky Way. She did not get up, but held out her hand to him.
“That is nice of you,” she said. “How is Cousin Amy?”
“Amy is very well,” said he. “But she’s gone to bed early, a little tired with the journey. And how is Cousin Amy’s cousin?”
He sat down on the basket chair close beside her which creaked with his weight.
“I must have a special chair made for you,” she said. “You are so big and strong. Have you seen Cousin Amy’s cousin’s husband?”
“No: I heard you were out here. So I came straight out.”
“I think it will be better, then, if we go in, and tell him you are here,” she said. “He might think it strange.”
Major Ames jumped up with alacrity: with his alacrity was mingled a pleasing sense of adventure.
“By all means,” he said. “Then we can come out again.”
“Surely. He is playing chess with Elsie. I do not suppose he will interrupt his game.”
Apparently Dr. Evans did not think anything in the least strange. On the whole, this was not to be wondered at, since he knew quite well that Major Ames was coming to talk over garden illumination with his wife.
“Good evening, Major,” he said; “kind of you to come. You and my little woman are going to make a pauper of me, I’m told. There, Elsie, what do you say to my putting my knight there? Check.”
“Then shall we go out, Major Ames?” said Millie. “Are you coming out, Wilfred?”
“No, little woman. I’m going to defeat your daughter indoors. Come and have a glass of whisky and soda with me before you go, Major.”
They went out again accordingly into the cool starlight.
“Wilfred is so fond of chess,” she said. “He plays every night with Elsie, when he is at home. Of course, he is often out.”