As for the
Misses Lefanu, being unused to rise without help, they spread out
their hands as if stretching octaves on the edge of the table, and
feebly stared.
"Joanna," began the elder, tremulously, "if you have come to ask
charity--"
"Bless your heart, no! What put that into your head?" She advanced
and took the chair which Miss Bunce had left, and resting her elbows
on the table, regarded her sisters steadily. "What a preposterous
age you both must be, to be sure! My husband's waiting for me
outside."
"Your husband?" Miss Charlotte quavered.
"Why, of course. Did you suppose, because I ran away to act, that I
wasn't an honest woman?" She stretched out her left hand; and there
was a thin gold ring on her third finger. "He isn't much of an
actor, poor dear. In fact, not to put too fine a point on it, he has
been hissed off two-and-thirty stages in Great Britain alone.
Indeed, he's the very worst actor I ever saw, although I don't tell
him. But as a husband he's sublime."
"Are there--" Miss Charlotte began, and broke down. "Are there," she
tried again, "are there--any--children?"
"Ah, my dear, if there were, I might be tempted to repent."
"Don't you?" jerked out Miss Bunce, turning abruptly from the window.
There was a certain sharp emotion in the question, but her face was
in the shadow. Joanna regarded her for a moment or two and broke
into a laugh.
"My dears, I have been an actress and a mother.
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