Part 16 (1/2)
Margaret eyed him with icy disdain ”If there is any quality that can be called the most repulsive,” said she, ”it is treachery You've fallen into a way of talking of your friend Craig behind his back that's unworthy--perhaps not of you, but certainly of the person you pose as being”
”Did you propose to hirew cold from head to foot ”Does he say I did?” she succeeded in articulating
”He does He was so excited that he juh he was late for one of those iaret had chosen her course ”Did he ask you to run and tell leam of a vicious temper in her fine hazel eyes
”No,” adht to tell you But it was such an INFERNAL lie”
”Did you tell hirew red
”I see you did not,” said Margaret ”I knew you did not Now, letof the kind Aabout hiaret! Rita Severence!” Grant started up, set down his teacup, stood looking down at her, his face white to the lips ”Your tone is not jest; it is insult”
”It was so intended” Margaret's eyes were upon hirandmother's own favorite expression in the she felt profoundly indifferent to eligible men, rejoiced in her freedom to act toward them as she wished ”I do not pered to marry”
”What!” shouted Grant ”It was TRUE?”
”Go out into the garden and try to calhtily ”And if you can't, why--take yourself off hoize”
”Rita, why didn't you giveto do it Rita, will you hed until his blood began to run alternately hot and cold
”I beg your pardon,” he stammered ”I did not realize how it sounded
Only--you kno things are with our sort of people And, asI' for a suitable husband As it's apparently a question of hiot hi--da to let such a man as he is have you I never dreamed you'd bother with hiaret was leaning back, looking up at hi to an end the painful silence which followed this speech
”What do you ed her shoulders First, Craig's impudent assumption that she loved him, and his rude violation of her lips; now, this frank insolence of insult, the e that it was unconscious--and from the oldest and closest of her es, but continued to live and let live, one could save the situation only by laughing So, Margaret laughed--and Arkwright shi+vered
”For God's sake, Rita!” he cried ”I'd not have believed that lips so young and fresh as yours could utter such a cynical sound”
She looked at him with disdainful, derisive eyes ”It's fortunate for me that I have a sense of humor,” said she ”And for you,” she added
”But I am in earnest, I mean it--every word I said”
”That's just it,” replied she ”You meant it--every word”
”You will marry me?”
”I will not”