"
"No, dear, no."
And with her hand holding his, she sat for a long time perfectly still.
Then the baby was heard crying, and Deborah went to the nursery.
"Now, Edith, I'll see to the children," she said. "Allan says you can go to
Bruce if you like."
Edith looked up at Deborah quickly, and as quickly turned away. She went in
to her husband. And there, hour by hour through the night, while he lay
inert with his hand in hers, little by little she understood. But she asked
no question of anyone.
At last Bruce stirred a little and began breathing deep and fast.
And so death came into the family.
CHAPTER XXI
Roger went through the next two days in a kind of a stupor. He remembered
holding Edith and feeling her shudder as though from a chill. He remembered
being stopped in the hall by George who had dressed himself with care in
his first suit with long trousers. "I just wanted you to remember," the boy
whispered solemnly, "that I'm nearly sixteen and I'll be here. He said to
stand by her and I will." The rest of that ghastly time was a blank,
punctuated by small quiet orders which Roger obeyed. Thank God, Deborah was
there, and she was attending to everything.
But when at last it was over, and Roger had spent the next day in his
office, had found it impossible to work and so had gone home early, Deborah
came to him in his room.
"Now we must have a talk," she said.
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