Part 54 (1/2)
Lorraine contrived to smile with some appearance of reality, as she dried her eyes, and said:
”I don't quite know. It's idiotic of me, isn't it? If you hadn't come and stopped me, I should never have been able to appear to-night for swollen eyes.”
But Hal was not so easily put off. She grasped both Lorraine's hands in hers and said resolutely:
”Why are you crying, Lorry?”
Feeling it hopeless to avoid some sort of a reason, she replied:
”I had a letter this morning that upset me rather. It is silly of me to take any notice, and I shouldn't if I were well. I've been wretchedly nervy lately, and it makes me silly about things.”
”What was the letter about?”
”Oh, only some one who is jealous, I suppose; trying to get a little satisfaction out of saying a few things that may hurt me. It is so silly of me to mind.”
Hal's mind immediately flew to Mrs. Vivian, and instead of inquiring any further she just said:
”Poor old Lorry,” and kissed her affectionately.
Then with a little laugh:
”I suppose you weren't going to have any lunch at all, but I'm frightfully hungry. I hope to goodness there is something in the house.”
”Run and tell Jean to see cook about it, there's a dear. I must bathe my eyes and try to look presentable.”
While they lunched Hal chatted of many things, but she noted that Lorraine was looking thin, and seemed to have something on her mind, while she made no attempt to eat what was placed on her plate.
When she was pulling her gloves on later she asked:
”Why don't von take a week's holiday and go into the country, Lorry?...
It is no use going on until you are ill, as you did before.”
”I think I must ask about it. I feel as if one week would do me a world of good. How is Sir Edwin? Have you seen him lately?”
”We played golf on Sat.u.r.day.”
A white look came suddenly into Hal's face, and she riveted her attention on an apparently tiresome fastener as she asked, with the greatest show of unconcern she could muster, the question that brought her there.
”Have you heard a rumour that he is going to marry Miss Bootes?” naming one of the richest heiresses cf the day.
”No; I hadn't heard it.”
Lorraine gave a quick glance at her face, but saw only the look of concentration on the fractious fastener.
”Well,” Hal said in level tones, ” I suppose she is worth about half a million, and I don't think he is rich.”
”Probably he has only been seen speaking to her, or taking her to supper at a big reception . That would be quite enough to make some people link them at once, and fix the date of the wedding.”
”There's a bun-fight at the Bruces' to-night,” Hal ran on, ”with Llaney to play the violin, and Lascelles to sing - quite an elaborate affair : so it is sure to be very boring ; but I suppose Alymer will be there, looking adorably beautiful, and all the women gazing at him. It will be entertaining to chaff him, anyhow.”