Part 24 (2/2)

' She smiled at him.

”My father tucked me up when I was small.

' His blue eyes twinkled.

”T can think of several

answers to that, Alethea.

If I were ten years i younger and not so very out of practice, I might have tried one of them.

' She went faintly pink and then lost her pretty colour when she

remembered that Nick might have made just such a remark.

It was disconcerting when Sarre said softly: ”You're remembering again, Alethea, you are forgetting what I said about turning the page.

' ”T can't think why you put up with me,” she told him shyly.

”T really must pull up my socks.

' The children had been listening, and now Sarel exclaimed: ”But you do not wear socks, Alethea,” which set them all laughing so that just for

a few moments they weren't hating her at all-indeed, they went upstairs, still laughing about the little joke, leaving Sarre and her together.

”There's half an hour before we need to change,” said Sarre cheerfully.

”Shall we go into the garden?

It isn't large, but it's pretty.

' And once there, walking between the well-tended borders: ”T quite forgot to tell you, there are one or two friends coming this evening: my partner and his wife, Wien and, of course, and his current girl-friend.

Doctor and Mevrouw Ardsch--he works with me a great deal, you'll like

his wife, and Doctor Sing ma and Doctor van Wevelen.

Anna Sing ma is my a.s.sistant and van Wevelen is the senior anaesthetist.

' ”Oh,” said Alethea faintly, 'are they coming to dinner?

' ”Yes.

I thought it would be more fun for you if we had something of a

party.

' She agreed at once, a little hurt that her company wasn't sufficient

to amuse him on his first evening home, but he looked so pleased at his little surprise that she forced herself to a delight she didn't feel.

”T know we had decided to dine alone and go round the house, but anyone

can go with you some time or other and it's a good opportunity to meet some of the people you'll be seeing a good deal of in the future.

Anna thought it was a splendid idea.

' Anna did, did she?

thought Alethea, her mind busy with what she should wear.

The grey crepe, she decided, and those expensive grey satin sandals

which matched it so perfectly.

They parted presently and Alethea set about the business of making the most of herself, a not too difficult task, and as though everything was on her side for once, her hair went like a dream, her make-up presented no problems and the grey crepe looked better than ever.

She surveyed herself without conceit in the pier-gla.s.s in her room and went downstairs.

Sarre was in his study, the door was standing open and she could see him at the end of the pa.s.sage at his desk, but he must have been listening for her because he came to join her in the hall at once.

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