The silly old ass has fired me.
I'm going home as soon as he appoints a DO to take over.'
There was a moment of awkwardness.
One, more kindly disposed than the others, said:
'I'm awfully sorry.'
Alban shrugged his shoulders.
'My dear fellow, what can you do with a perfect damned fool?
The only thing is to let him stew in his own juice.'
When the Governor's secretary had told his chief as much of this as he thought discreet, the Governor smiled.
'Courage is a queer thing.
I would rather have shot myself than go to the club just then and face all those fellows.'
A fortnight later, having sold to the incoming DO all the decorations that Anne had taken so much trouble about, with the rest of their things in packing-cases and trunks, they arrived at Port Wallace to await the local steamer that was to take them to Singapore.
The padre's wife invited them to stay with her, but Anne refused; she insisted that they should go to the hotel.
An hour after their arrival she received a very kind little letter from the Governor's wife asking her to go and have tea with her.
She went.
She found Mrs Hannay alone, but in a minute the Governor joined them.
He expressed his regret that she was leaving and told her how sorry he was for the cause.
'It's very kind of you to say that,' said Anne, smiling gaily, 'but you mustn't think I take it to heart.
I'm entirely on Alban's side.
I think what he did was absolutely right and if you don't mind my saying so I think you've treated him most unjustly.'
'Believe me, I hated having to take the step I took.'
'Don't let's talk about it,' said Anne.
'What are your plans when you get home?' asked Mrs Hannay.
Anne began to chat brightly.
You would have thought she had not a care in the world.
She seemed in great spirits at going home. She was jolly and amusing and made little jokes. When she took leave of the Governor and his wife she thanked them for all their kindness.
The Governor escorted her to the door.
The next day but one, after dinner, they went on board the clean and comfortable little ship.
The padre and his wife saw them off.
When they went into their cabin they found a large parcel on Anne's bunk. It was addressed to Alban.
He opened it and saw that it was an immense powder-puff.
'Hullo, I wonder who sent us this,' he said, with a laugh.
'It must be for you, darling.'
Anne gave him a quick look.
She went pale.
The brutes!
How could they be so cruel?
She forced herself to smile.
'It's enormous, isn't it?
I've never seen such a large powder-puff in my life.'
But when he had left the cabin and they were out at sea, she threw it passionately overboard.
And now, now that they were back in London and Sondurah was nine thousand miles away, she clenched her hands as she thought of it.
Somehow, it seemed the worst thing of all.
It was so wantonly unkind to send that absurd object to Alban, Powder-Puff Percy; it showed such a petty spite.
Was that their idea of humour?
Nothing had hurt her more and even now she felt that it was only by holding on to herself that she could prevent herself from crying.
Suddenly she started, for the door opened and Alban came in.
She was still sitting in the chair in which he had left her.
'Hullo, why haven't you dressed?'
He looked about the room.