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I haven't seen you in it for ages," she felt a little sick, a little sad, for she guessed that they had put their heads together, determined that the Christmas festivities should not be marred, at least through them. The incident that had happened downstairs was unfortunate, and the outcome of it they were waiving until tomorrow, she could almost hear her husband's voice endorsing their decision . 'sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
    For the first time in three years Grace went to sleep in the dark, and when she woke in the dark and found that she had been to sleep she was hardly afraid. There was a soft stillness about the room and the whole house, and she guessed that it was snowing. She told herself to get up and see, and then she remembered no more until it was morning, and she awoke again to a quiet stir about the house broken by excited cries from a room across the landing.
    It was Christmas morning and Yvonne was opening her stocking. She had no desire to go and witness this event. When her own children had been small it had thrilled her to Avatch them unpacking their stockings, but Yvonne did not seem to belong to her, not even as a grandchild.
    She was a spoilt child.
    As she lay she hoped that no-one would come and disturb her for a long while, for she wanted to savour this feeling that she had woken with, this feeling of newness, of courage, of having at least been able to conquer the dark. She stretched her long legs down the bed, then, twisting round, she lay on her stomach, her face buried in the pillow.
    She would make everybody happy today, everybody. And she would go to church . yes, she would go to church. That would please Stephen. Yes she would go to church. And this evening she would play to them.
    It was ten o'clock before the breakfast things and all the debris from the presents were cleared away. She couldn't say that any of her Christmas presents had brought her delight. They were mostly things for use in the house; these no doubt they thought would please her, and she was sure she had conveyed that impression. Her gifts to them had been in the form of cheques, small ones, but they all, even Gerald, had received them with expressions of surprised delight.
    She had a strong feeling that Gerald was trying to corner her. He had never left her for a moment last night. It had almost become embarrassing. He was too solicitous by far.
    And now when she had come upstairs to get ready for church and he made the excuse to follow her by bringing some wood for her fire, she knew he had succeeded in his efforts and she must face up to it and get it over.
    He stood outside her door calling, "Fuel up. Mother', and when she said, " Come in, Gerald', he entered, boisterous and gay, his arms laden with logs.
    "That's kind of you, Gerald. I always feel guilty about my fire, but I can't stand electric fires and I have tried."
    "Why should you; you usually see to it yourself, anyway.... If you can't have what you want in your own house it's come to something." He pushed a log on the centre of the fire and pressing it home firmly with his boot added, "And I don't see why you should have to mess about with fires either. Peggy's got nothing to do most of the rime, only you to see to, and she's got help to do it at that."
    "Oh, she's kept pretty busy and there's nothing like fires for making work."
    Gerald straightened up and dusted his hands, then, turning and taking up a position not unlike that of Stephen he looked at her and said in a voice that could only be described as tender, "You know. Mother, I haven't had the chance to speak to you alone, but I just want to say from the bottom of my heart that I'm glad to see you so much better."
    She turned from the dressing-table with a ring in her hand, and she looked at it as she slowly pushed it on to her finger. She even paused to admire its effect before saying, "Thank you, Gerald; that's very kind of you."
    "Y'know, Mother' Gerald let his head fall back on to his