On seeing her, Christian came forward at once, raising his hat and
shaking hands as if they had parted the day before.

She saw at once that it was all right. This was Christian Vellacott as
she had remembered him. She looked down at him as he stood with one hand
resting on the splashboard, and he, looking up to her, smiled in return.

"Christian," she said, "do you know I should scarcely have recognised
you. You are so big, and--and you look positively ghastly!" She finished
her remark with a little laugh which took away from the spoken meaning
of it.

"Ghastly?" he replied. "Thanks: I do not feel like it--only hungry.
Hungry, and desperately glad to see a face that does not look
overworked."

"Meaning me."

"Meaning you."

She gave a little sarcastic nod, and pursed up a pair of very red lips.

"Nevertheless I am the only person in the house who does any work at
all. Hilda, for instance--"

At this moment Sidney came up and interrupted them.

"Jump up in front, Chris," he said; "Molly will drive, while I sit
behind. Your luggage will follow in the cart."