Part 53 (2/2)

It was very quiet in his office.

He offered her a chair and went to lean against the back of his great desk, his hands in his pockets.

”And what do you wish to tell me, Alethea?

' he asked her very gently.

”Something which necessitated you having a go at the brandy bottle.

' She said defiantly: ”I'm not very brave, but it's all right now I'm

here.

Sarre, I thought I could go without telling you, but I can't, so Al

said he'd bring me here so I could see you on the way to the station.

' ”So Al knows?

' She got out of her chair; she felt better standing.

”Well, he guessed.

' Sarre took a hand out of a pocket and inspected his nails.

”And I'm to be told too, or must I guess as well?

' ”You wouldn't guess in a thousand years,” declared Alethea in a voice

squeaky with emotion.

”I'm not coming back, Sarre.

' He put his hand back into his pocket and looked at her.

”T wondered if you had intended that.

It hasn't been all roses for you, has it?

The children--oh, don't look so surprised, I have eyes in my head and

my hearing is excellent-besides, they came and told me all about it.

But it's too late, perhaps--they've discovered that they're very fond of you, they wanted to go to England with you, did you know that?

just so that they could be sure that you would come back here.

And Anna--I have been at fault there.

I wanted to tease you a little to arouse your interest, make you

jealous, but now I don't suppose you will ever believe me if I tell you that we're friends and nothing more and that she plans to get married to a childhood sweetheart.

' He sighed.

”And Nanny--oh, she's your slave now, like every other member of the

household, but at the beginning she was eaten up with jealousy; and there is Penrose.

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