Part 41 (2/2)
Eric drew her head on to his shoulder and kissed her
”My darling, that's all so long ago! Why distress yourself with it now?”
”Jack was staying with the Knightriders,” she persisted ”Kathleen Knightrider's the only soul who's ever suspected_I_ never told her She's heard that Jack has been sent to Switzerland and she wrote this ratulate me! I tried to make amends to Jack too
Oh, the , pulling”
”He's had his chance,” Eric told her again
”I wish God _had_ struck me down,” she whispered
Eric invented an excuse to leave early, for, when Barbara was not reproaching herself for the engagement, she affected the abject huht for his pleasure Perhaps she was a herself with a new emotion, perhaps she wanted to keep him alert and suspended, perhaps she enjoyed the vision of herself torn between the twoin the world
2
For the secondin succession Barbara did not telephone Eric waited until noon and then asked her to dine with him
”I will, if you--want me to,” she answered with the new servile listlessness; and he wondered again whether she was trying to exact some novel abandonment of adoration or to exhaust him by passive resistance
”I believe we _have_ people dining,” she added
”Well, choose soested
”Oh, it doesn'tto the country to- to be in London till Christ up the receiver before he could say anythingunconsciousness of her alternating indifference and hostility In the afternoon Agnes Waring telephoned to say that she was unexpectedly in London and would like to have tea with hi that she would not stay long enough to clash with Babs, and, guiltily re to Jack Once or twice, as he paused to fill his pipe, the old feeling of duplicity came back, as on the Sundays when he walked hones had told hi composure that there was still no news of her brother And noriting a gossipy, facetious letterEric tore the envelope in two--and then hesitated Jack had been given his opportunity, and he had not taken it
Agnes did not arrive until nearly six o'clock and then ca officer
”You reht him to dine at the Mill-House last year He hadn't seen 'The Bomb-Shell,' so ent to the _ood, if I may say so,” murmured Benyon ”Hope you don't nes said----”
”I obviously couldn't come here alone, dick,” she interrupted; and Eric wondered whether they would have left before Barbara came alone to dine with hines had reached with this youngto recur in her life and conversation They had attained the Christian na it; and she seeed in attention, Agnes brought Benyon up like an army of reserve; whenever Benyon fancied that he had won a position, she rounded on her own reinforcements and admitted Eric to a private intimacy of conversation about Jack It was a new part for her to play, but no wo two men interested in her at the same time If only she knew that his interest had died ht when Barbara sat in that rooht her looking at hied almost before their eyes ive him one last chance--or his own hypercritical fancy?
They were still talking when Barbara was announced
”Gracious! Is it _eight_?” Agnes cried, looking at her watch ”I thought it was only seven Weme to a _revue_”
”Won't you wait for a cocktail?” Eric asked ”By the way, I don't think you know Lady Barbara Neave Miss Waring, Babs Mr Benyon”
The two girls shook hands, and Agnes began searching for her gloves and purse, hurriedly declining Eric's invitation
”I used to know your brother quite well before the war,” said Barbara
”I was so thankful to hear your good news”