offices in every direction throughout London. And he had been unfair
to Concepcion. Their relations would be endlessly complicated by the
episode. He foresaw trying scenes, in which she would make all the
excuses, between her and himself.

"Perhaps it would be simpler if we decided to admit Nurse Smaith's
claim," said a timid voice from the other end of the table.

G.J. murmured coldly, gazing at the agenda paper and yet dominating
his committee:

"The question will come up on the minutes of the Hospitals Management
Sub-committee. We had better deal with it then. The next business on
the agenda is the letter from the Paris Service de Santé."

He was thinking: "How is she now? Ought I to go out and see?" And the
majority of the committee was vaguely thinking, not without a certain
pleasurable malice: "These Society women! They're all queer!"




Chapter 37

THE INVISIBLE POWERS


Several times already the rumour had spread in the Promenade that the
Promenade would be closed on a certain date, and the Promenade had not
been closed. But to-night it was stated that the Promenade would be