And now they were not

Nat was not getting what she had hoped out of his Europeanopportunity. Oh, she was enough of an artist herself to knowthat there must be fallow periods--that the impact of newimpressions seldom produced immediate results. She had allowedfor all that. But her past experience of Nat's moods had taughther to know just when he was assimilating, when impressions werefructifying in him. And now they were not, and he knew it aswell as she did. There had been too much rushing about, toomuch excitement and sterile flattery ... Mrs. Melrose? Well,yes, for a while ... the trip to Spain had been a love-journey,no doubt. Grace spoke calmly, but the lines of her facesharpened: she had suffered, oh horribly, at his going to Spainwithout her. Yet she couldn't, for the children's sake, affordto miss the big sum that Ursula Gillow had given her for herfortnight at Ruan. And her playing had struck people, and led,on the way back, to two or three profitable engagements inprivate houses in London. Fashionable society had made "alittle fuss" about her, and it had surprised and pleased Nat,and given her a new importance in his eyes. "He was beginningto forget that I wasn't only a nursery-maid, and it's been agood thing for him to be reminded ... but the great thing isthat with what I've earned he and I can go off to southern Italyand Sicily for three months. You know I know how to manage ... 　　and, alone with me, Nat will settle down to work: to observing,feeling, soaking things in. It's the only way. Mrs. Melrosewants to take him, to pay all the expenses again-well sheshan't. I'll pay them." Her worn cheek flushed with triumph. 　　"And you'll see what wonders will come of it .... Only there'sthe problem of the children. Junie quite agrees that we can'ttake them ...."Thereupon she had unfolded her idea. If Susy was at a looseend, and hard up, why shouldn't she take charge of the childrenwhile their parents were in Italy? For three months at most-Grace could promise it shouldn't be longer. They couldn't payher much, of course, but at least she would be lodged and fed. 　　"And, you know, it will end by interesting you--I'm sure itwill," the mother concluded, her irrepressible hopefulnessrising even to this height, while Susy stood before her with ahesitating smile.