Part 34 (2/2)
”Do you think it's funny of me to be living here with Colin?”
He laughed.
”I suppose it's all right. You always had pluck enough for anything.”
”It doesn't take pluck to stick to Colin.”
”Moral pluck.”
”No. Not even moral.”
”You were always fond of him, weren't you?”
That was about as far as he dare go.
She smiled her strange smile again.
”Yes. I was always fond of him.... You see, he wants me more than anybody else ever did or ever will.”
”I'm not so sure about that. But he always did get what he wanted.”
”Oh, does he! How about Queenie?”
”Even Queenie. I suppose he wanted her at the time.”
”He doesn't want her now. Poor Colin.”
”You mustn't ask me to pity him.”
”Ask you? He'd hate you to pity him. I'd hate you to pity _me_.”
”I shouldn't dream of pitying you, any more than I should dream of criticising you.”
”Oh, you may criticise as much as you like.”
”No. Whatever you did it would make no difference. I should know it was right because you did it.”
”It wouldn't be. I do heaps of wrong things, but _this_ is right.”
”I'm sure it is.” ”Here's Colin,” she said.
He had come out to look for them. He couldn't bear to be alone.
vi
Jerrold had gone to Sutton's Farm to say good-bye to their old nurse, Nanny Sutton.
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