It was not only in the evenings when company had gathered, but now and again he was in full song or whistling musically as he went about the house. He and Robert were coming and going all the time, being invited to the homes of friends, meeting them in alehouses, making preparations for journeying to England and generally occupying every minute of their time. Twice she would have passed Robert, but she did not want to meet those vivid dark eyes and it was easy to make a detour with so many stairs and passageways in a Dutch house.It was frustrating for her to be under the same roof as Grinling and still miss the chance to speak to him on his own. She would look down from a gallery just in time to see him crossing the hall with Robert Harting on their way out. At other times he entered a room, closing the door after him before she could get there. More than once his mother descended on him with a swish of full skirts like a silken bat and the chance to thank him was lost once again.She had made up her mind to make him a pomander as a small gift of appreciation for his kindly act.
