Well, Marjorie, you know what I said to you. Fleur
laughed: In my head, and my eyes, and my ears, and myheart.
They arrived in South Square about
sixoclock.
First shed been looked on as a snob, and nowthere
was this! Tide seemed at balance,not moving in or out.
He could not give her away;could not even go to old
Blythe, until he had decided.
Thegloomy dockside, and the grey river; the bustle
with baggage, andthe crowded tender.
I shall get used to being laughed at, in time.
Soames astounding conduct had indeed knocked Michael over.
Id like you to look in at Green Street, too, now
and then.
She felt the blood mounting in her cheeks. Tide
seemed at balance,not moving in or out. So he ate some ham, and bytwo oclock had
started. Well, it was up to hernow, whether or no they should come to grief on it. I
know that you appreciate having people about you, and like themto think well of you.
She was going with her father, that embodiment of care andprudence!
Michael was continually looking at his
watch.
I meant that I wanted to find out where I
stood.
And, seizing his hand, she put it to her
lips.
He would have gone out and come in again,but he was
too concerned.
Havent an idea, sir; thats the worst of London, it
swallowspeople up.
A good deal of it, of course, is due to my
engagement. Michael watched Fleur growing paler, her smile more nervous,
thetwitching of the flower spasmodic. Im extremely sorry I ever kept it from you. Or
was it just thatthe Pet of the Panjoys was always the more sensational figure? Its
been my fault, Isuppose, for having had expensive children.
For all I care, she might snuff out
to-morrow.
And, over there, Marjorie Ferrar seemed to hold a
little Court. She hadso many in the night, that she could not sleep. The last night,
the last kiss came; and the glum journey to theDocks in Soames car.
To frank you, he said, suddenly, I should have to
sell theGainsborough. Quivering all over from that look, she shrugged her shoulders,
andwalked away. He would have gone out and come in again,but he was too
concerned.
Forthere were moments when possibilities balled
into a nightmare.
The young fellow wasnt expecting him to doanything
about it, was he?
What was good enough for my fathers is good enough
for me.