Something that was very far from humour impelled Stella to say quickly,
"I hope you don't imagine I was eavesdropping."

He looked sardonic for an instant. "No, I do not so far flatter myself,"
he said. "I was referring to my cigarette."

She entered, striving for dignity. Then as his attitude caught her
attention she forgot herself and turned upon him in genuine dismay.
"What are you doing out of bed? You know you are not fit for it. Oh, how
wrong of you! Take my arm!"

He transferred his hand from the door to her shoulder, and she felt it
tremble though his hold was strong.

"May I not sit up to tea with you, nurse _sahib_?" he suggested, as she
piloted him firmly to the bedside.

"Of course not," she made answer. The consciousness of his weakness had
fully restored her confidence and her authority. "Besides, I have had
mine. Tommy, you too! It is too bad, I shall never dare to close my eyes
again."

At this point Monck laughed so suddenly and boyishly that she found it
utterly impossible to continue her reproaches. He humbly apologized as
he subsided upon the bed, and turning to Tommy who, fully dressed, was
reclining at his ease in a deck-chair by its side said with a smile,
"You get back to your own compartment, my son. It isn't good for me to
have two people in the room with me at the same time. And your sister
wants to take my pulse undisturbed."