Part 28 (2/2)
”Well, he was enthusiastic about the evening, said it was like a bit of Italy. You know he was once at the emba.s.sy in Rome.”
”Yes. He told me so.”
”I hear very good accounts of him from the Foreign Office. Eric Learington speaks very well of him. He ought to rise high in the career.”
”I hope he will. I like to see clever young men get on. And he certainly has something in him.”
”Yes, I think so too. By the way, he seems tremendously taken with Miss Van Tuyn.”
As the world's governess said this he let his small hazel eyes fix themselves rather intently on Lady Sellingworth's face. He saw no change of expression there. She still looked tired, but casual, neither specially interested nor in the least bored. Her brilliant eyes still held their slightly mocking expression.
”Beryl must be almost irresistible to young men,” she said. ”She combines beauty with brains, and she has the audacity which nearly always appeals to youth. Besides, unconventionality is really the salt of our over-civilized life, and she has it in abundance. She doesn't merely pretend to it. It is part of her.”
”She may grow out of it in time.”
”I hope she won't,” said Lady Sellingworth, rather decisively. ”If she did she would lose a great deal of her charm.”
”Well, but when she marries?”
”Is she thinking of marrying?”
”Girls of her age usually are, I fancy.”
”If she marries the right man he won't mind her unconventionality. He may even enjoy it.”
It occurred to Braybrooke that Adela Sellingworth was supposed to have done a great many unconventional things at one time. Nevertheless he could not help saying:
”I think most husbands prefer their wives to keep within bounds.”
”Beryl may never marry,” said Lady Sellingworth, rather thoughtfully.
”She is an odd girl. I could imagine--”
She paused, but not dramatically.
”Yes?” he said, with gentle insinuation.
”I could imagine her choosing to live a life of her own.”
”What, like Caroline Briggs?” he said.
Lady Sellingworth moved, and her face changed, suddenly looked more expressive.
”Ah, Caroline!” she said. ”I am very fond of her. She is one in a thousand. But she and Beryl are quite different in character. Caroline lives for self-respect, I think. And Beryl lives for life. Caroline refuses, but Beryl accepts with both hands.”
”Then she will probably accept a husband some day.”
Suddenly Lady Sellingworth changed her manner. She leaned forward towards the world's governess, smiled at him, and said, half satirically, half confidentially:
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