'I thought you were asleep,' she said.

'I have not been able to sleep this afternoon.'

'You are a bad person for a nurse, Miss Crofton, if you cannot sleep
at will. I am afraid you are nervous, too, by the way you darted out
of the room just now.'

'I heard that door shut, and thought Susan was coming to call me.'

'I had just been in to see how the invalid was going on--that is
all.'

She passed me, and went back to her own apartments, which were on
the other side of the house. I felt that it was quite useless trying
to sleep; so I returned to my room only to change my dressing-gown
for my dress, and then went back to Milly. She had been sleeping
very quietly, Susan told me.

'I suppose you told Mrs. Darrell that all was going on well when she
came to inquire just now?' I said.

'Mrs. Darrell hasn't been since you went to lie down, miss,' the
girl answered, looking surprised at my question.

'Why, Susan, you must surely forget. Mrs. Darrell was in the
dressing-room scarcely ten minutes ago. I heard her coming out, and
went to see who was there. Didn't she come in here to inquire about
Miss Darrell?'