"Oh, I'm always making plans," he returned, and began to explain his
intention to lookout for rooms in the neighbourhood of Harley
Street--that medical bazaar.

While still at Saint Josephine's Hospital he had made the acquaintance
of Mr. Randolph Messeter, a man considerably older than himself; an
eminent surgeon, who had more than once invited Mark to dinner.
Randolph Messeter frequently came to Saint Josephine's to operate, and
on such occasions Mark always administered the anaesthetic. Messeter
had more than hinted that he might be able to put some work in Mark's
way, and the intention was that he should specialize as an
anaesthetist, at the same time waiting for ordinary patients.
Carrissima listened with the deepest interest, knowing, however, that
his resources would be taxed to the utmost for some time to come. That
he would make his way before very long she did not doubt for an
instant, but how convenient he would in the meantime find her own
income of eight hundred pounds a year!

How willingly, too, would she place it at his service! When he rose to
go away she wished that it were possible to keep him out of Bridget's
reach, because she could not fail to recollect Lawrence's plainly
expressed opinion.

Could it be possible, she wondered, after Mark had left the house, that
Bridget had two strings to her bow? Was she holding Colonel Faversham
on and off until Mark's return to London? Did she intend to make a
last bid for the younger man, and if he eluded her to fall back on the
older one?