To this Angela sent no reply.

When the fever had passed and she was stronger, arrangements were
made for the journey to London.

As Angela walked unsteadily to the carriage, leaning on the arm of
the nurse, Nathaniel came forward to assist her. She passed him
without a word. Nor did she speak to him once, nor answer any remark
of his, during the long journey on the train.

When they reached London she refused to go to the Kingsnorth house,
where her brother lived, but went at once to a distant cousin of her
mother's--Mrs. Wrexford--and made her home with her, as she had
often done before. She refused to hold any further communication
with her brother, despite the ministrations of her sister Monica and
Mrs. Wrexford.

Mrs. Wrexford was a gentle little white-capped widow whose only
happiness in life seemed to be in worrying over others' misfortunes.
She was on the board of various charitable organisations and was a
busy helper in the field of mercy. She worshipped Angela, as she had
her mother before her. That something serious had occurred between
Angela and her brother Mrs. Wrexford realised, but she could find
out nothing by questioning Angela. Every time she asked her anything
relative to her attitude Angela was silent.

One day she begged Mrs. Wrexford never to speak of her brother
again. Mrs. Wrexford respected her wishes and watched her and nursed
her through her convalescence with a tender solicitude.