Part 53 (2/2)
”It's just one's confounded luck what temperament one's inflicted with.
I should think you were to be congratulated. You look as if you could be infernally happy.”
”Aren't you?”
”Who is?”
”Loads of people,” she declared emphatically.
”The very vain and the very stupid. Who else?”
Mavis was beginning to be interested. It amused and, at the same time, touched her to notice the difference between the dreary nature of the sentiments and the youthful, comely face of the speaker.
”I'm going now,” she said.
”Frightened of being seen with me?” he asked.
”When I've Jill for a chaperone?”
”Why don't you come as far as Broughton with me?”
”Across the river?”
”I've a punt moored not far from here.”
”But I've got to get back to a meal.”
”We can get something to eat there.”
”I don't think I will.”
”Is it too far?”
”I can walk any distance.”
”Someone was asking about you the other day.”
”Who?”
”Archie Windebank. He wrote from India.”
”What did he say?” asked Mavis, striving to conceal the interest she felt.
”I forget, for the moment, what it was. If I remember, I'll tell you.”
”Don't forget.”
”He's rather keen on you, isn't he?”
<script>