Jean , with her head very erect , met his eyes , sad eves , with something in them that roused that feeling of pity she had felt a few minutes ago .sx She told herself she was the one to be pitied , with her whole life spoilt , her love for ever killed , stripped of all illusions , married by trickery .sx Yes , she was the one to pity , not Alister Ware , who had won her by a deliberate lie !sx " Very well , I understand , " he said quietly .sx " Don't worry , Jean .sx I will make no attempt to try and persuade you to alter your decision .sx I accept your conditions .sx I have treated you cruelly , wickedly .sx If it was possible to undo our marriage I would do it , but this complicates matters .sx I agree that we cannot think of ourselves now .sx It's hard on you , and I quite realise that nothing else would have brought you back , but I will do all I can to make things easy .sx " " Thank you , " she murmured stiffly .sx " I'm glad you understand .sx " But how could she go on with it ?sx she asked herself .sx See him all day and every day , .sx pretend that everything was all right , when the only thing she had asked of fate had been that she need never set eyes on him again .sx She was driven back to his side , unable now to dissolve this bondage to which she had , all unwittingly , bound herself .sx Alister went on , with a quick change of manner " I apologise for the mess the house is in .sx You see , I've been too busy to trouble about it .sx I never dreamed of your returning .sx " He had accepted her terms without protest .sx Had she expected him to try and persuade her differently ?sx He was more than ready to meet her half way .sx He had altered so much she would have known him .sx This grave , pale man seemed really a stranger now .sx " Then then that's all .sx It is settled , " she answered briefly .sx There was nothing more to say , no need to go over the old ground again .sx He knew what she thought of him , knew that she despised and hated him .sx Thankful to have something to take her mind off more vital matters , Jean seized on the surely Heaven-sent opportunity to speak of the house .sx " I'll begin to put things straight at once , " she said .sx There was to be no question of love in the future .sx She would live only for her child , make the best of her broken heart , and never again would she believe in any man .sx Men were all the same , Jean told herself , passionately and unfairly , as she took off her coat .sx " You look very tired , " he began .sx That meant plain , of course .sx In the midst of her unhappiness , Jean , all woman , turned anxiously to the mirror , noting her drawn face with dismay .sx Hastily she drew out her powder-puff , fluffed up her hair , rubbing her pale cheeks roughly to bring colour into them .sx " I'm all right , thank you , " she answered formally .sx " Sit down and I'll make you some tea .sx It won't take long .sx I don't think the fire is quite out , " he insisted .sx " I would rather get it myself , " she returned in the most ordinary voice she could command .sx . " Very well .sx I'll run down and ask one of the women to come up and give you a hand .sx " He whistled to the dogs and vanished .sx Jean looked round her with quivering lips .sx It would always be like this .sx She went into the kitchen and set to work to draw up the fire .sx She found one of her overalls in the dresser drawer , and when the carefully mended fire began to crackle , attacked the muddle with energy .sx She was sweeping the floor when the wife of one of their men hurried in , staring with widely-open eyes , bursting with curiosity .sx " Good evening , Mrs Robins , " Jean said as casually as she could .sx " I have returned rather unexpectedly .sx Please finish this , and when the water is hot these things can be washed up .sx " Mrs Robins obeyed .sx Jean's manner prevented any comment whatever .sx The good woman told herself the rumours and talcs she had been hearing could not possibly be true .sx It was a great relief to poor Jean to occupy herself , to help restore her home to its usual shining neatness .sx In the larder she surveyed the almost empty shelves with dismay .sx What had Alister meant to have for supper ?sx He came in a moment later with a basket of eggs .sx " There's a side of bacon in the cellar .sx I'll fetch it up , " he announced .sx " We have plenty of milk and cream , if you can manage with eggs and bacon and coffee just for to-night .sx " " It will do very well , thank you , " she returned .sx He nodded , and , after bringing the bacon , started tidying up the study .sx He , too , found relief in those homely tasks .sx Jean went upstairs with leaden feet .sx It would be far more difficult than she had imagined .sx Looking round her room , she saw that it was fresh and spotless .sx Alister had evidently lighted a fire , but he had left the register down and the smoke was filling the room , She hastened to remedy his mistake , flinging up the window , letting .sx in the wind and rain to cool her hot cheeks .sx In spite of everything , it was good to be back in this breezy room .sx Alister was dusting the study with his handkerchief when she went down .sx " I've made coffee just as you like it .sx This fire will burn up directly .sx We cut down a couple of trees , so we have plenty of wood , and it's really quite chilly to-night .sx " " Yes .sx " Jean shivered .sx It was like a play , she thought , so utterly different to their old happy life here .sx She bit her lip fiercely .sx That was done with for ever .sx Mrs Robins came in with ham and eggs , steaming coffee and a jug of thick cream that was as unlike the London cream as anything could possibly be , and they sat down to their meal .sx How blessedly quiet it was !sx Baby would be strong and well in such surroundings .sx She had certainly done what was best , no doubt of that , but it had cost her very dearly to go back on her word and resume her life in the house of the man she hated .sx She was too tired to care .sx " You must have some of this ham .sx It's home cured , and I can thoroughly recommend it .sx " Alister was calm and collected , masterfully authoritative .sx She began to eat reluctantly enough , and found that she was very hungry indeed .sx Mrs Robins cleared away with a great deal of clatter , baffled by the very ordinary talk between husband and wife , busy discussing matters connected with the farm .sx " I'll be round early to-morrow morning ma'am , " she announced when she had finished .sx Mechanically Jean stretched out her hand and drew her workbasket towards her .sx It stood in the same place where she had left it .sx She must devote herself to the making of tiny garments now .sx Alister , opposite her , pretended to study a catalogue .sx In reality he was watching her hungrily and anxiously .sx To see her there , to know she had come back of her own free will so near and yet so far away it was agony as well as a delight .sx He would do his part , atone as far as he could for the wrong he had done her , no matter how hard it would be .sx She had suffered , his Jean .sx He knew her so well .sx She was so proud , he knew what it must have cost her to do this .sx He thrilled secretly at the thought of the baby .sx Jean's son and his !sx Of course it would be a son who would carry on after he had gone .sx He was able to tell her of steadily increasing business .sx Everything was going well .sx " We must find another housekeeper at once , " he said with decision .sx " I won't have you doing too much and tiring yourself out .sx " " I like work , " Jean returned briefly , all her attention on her sewing .sx She was no longer the Jean who had loved him .sx She was different .sx There was a whole world between them , an icy barrier nothing could pass .sx Jean was telling herself that the resemblance between Alister and Stan was no longer marked .sx Alister looked years and years older than his brother had ever done .sx How long ago it all seemed !sx How passionately she had cared , and oh , terrible knowledge !sx Stan had deceived her from the first !sx Just as his brother had done !sx They were alike in that respect , she decided bitterly .sx When she went upstairs , the fire in her room was crackling brightly .sx It was all cosy and comfortable and yet so empty .sx For the future she must live lonely and unloved until the baby came .sx Then everything would be all right .sx She went softly into the little room across the landing , and planned a sunny and charming nest for her treasure .sx Preparations could start at once .sx It would give her something to do .sx Exhausted by all she had gone through , worn out by emotion , Jean fell asleep at once .sx ROSIE COMES TO HAPPY END .sx JEAN set her teeth the following morning .sx She would not be a coward .sx She was determined not to avoid going into the village .sx She would do her shopping as she had always done .sx Frowning a little over various household problems she was considering , she entered the village store , managing to look so much the same as she had always done that people stared at her in disappointed surprise .sx They had been joyfully and eagerly expecting all sorts of exciting things to happen when the news leaked out that Mrs Ware of Nappy End had actually come home .sx And here she was , coolly choosing meat as though she had never been away , apparently not in the least disturbed that Alister Ware had pretended to be his own brother .sx Had she known all the time ?sx Nobody was certain of the details of the romantic story .sx Jean would have been startled could she have known the wild and improbable inventions .sx of which she was the heroine .sx She returned all greetings quietly , and no one dared to question her .sx The afternoon brought Mrs Dewey , determined to find out the truth , but to her .sx chagrin it seemed there was nothing to discover .sx Jean , at her own tea-table , in her prettiest frock , was friendly .sx She even spoke of her visit to London , making it appear she had been away alone .sx because her husband could not accompany her .sx Only with difficulty could Jean hide her real feelings as she parried her visitor's inquisitive questions .sx She clenched her hands as she watched her driving away .sx It hurt intolerably to know they were all talking about her , that she and Alister would form the subject of discussion round all the tea-tables in Brambleford .sx The talk would die down presently .sx It must !sx Alister has taken his tea in a thermos to the field where he was working .sx He had eaten a hasty mid-day dinner and gone out again .sx She had hardly spoken to him all day .sx In her mending basket she had piled a small mountain of socks to be darned .sx No matter what happened , daily life went on as usual eating , mending , cooking .sx Mrs Robins tapped at the door and ushered in no less a person than the late housekeeper , Mrs Wilkins , who , hearing of Jean's return , had lost no time in trying to get back her good and well-paid post .sx Jean greeted her distantly , and waited for her to speak , listening in a cold silence that disconcerted her visitor .sx " What reason had you for leaving as you did ?sx " Jean demanded bluntly .sx Flustered by so direct and unexpected a question , Mrs Wilkins hesitated .sx She had thought she would be taken back at once , at perhaps increased wages .sx She looked at Jean doubtfully .sx She seemed to be different , grown older in some mysterious way that made it suddenly difficult , almost impossible , to satisfactorily explain her action .sx " Well , ma'am , begging your pardon , but there .sx was a lot of talk about you never coming back , " she stammered .sx