Part 6 (2/2)

”Thank you,” she said. ”I will get up immediately, if you will do as you say.”

He clutched the screen from the inside and dragged it towards the door.

On the threshold, he spoke to her once more.

”I shall sit upon the stairs just outside,” he announced.

”I sha'n't be more than five minutes,” she a.s.sured him.

She sprang out of bed and dressed quickly. There was nothing beyond where the screen had been except a table covered with plans, and a particularly hard cane chair which she dragged over for her own use.

As she dressed, she began to realize how much this matter-of-fact, unimpressionable young man had done for her during the last few hours.

The reflection affected her in a curious manner. She became afflicted with a shyness which she had not felt when he was in the room. When at last she had finished her toilette and opened the door, she was almost tongue-tied. He was sitting on the top step, with his back against the landing, and his eyes were closed. He opened them with a little start, however, as soon as he heard her approach.

”I am glad you have not been long,” he remarked. ”I want to be at my office at nine o'clock and I must go and have a bath somewhere. These stairs are rather steep. Please walk carefully.”

She followed him in silence down three flights of stone steps. On each landing there were names upon the doors--two firms of hop merchants, a solicitor, and a commission agent. The ground floor was some sort of warehouse, from which came a strong smell of leather.

Tavernake opened the outside door with a small key and they pa.s.sed into the street.

”London Bridge Station is just across the way,” he said. ”The refreshment room will be open and we can get some breakfast at once.”

”What time is it?” she asked.

”About half-past seven.”

She walked by his side quite meekly, and although there were many things which she was longing to say, she remained absolutely without the power of speech. Except that he was looking a little crumpled, there was nothing whatever in his appearance to indicate that he had been up all night. He looked exactly as he had done on the previous day, he seemed even quite unconscious that there was anything unusual in their relations. As soon as they arrived at the station, he pointed to the ladies' waiting-room.

”If you will go in and arrange your hair there,” he said, ”I will go and order breakfast and have a shave. I will be back here in about twenty minutes. You had better take this.”

He offered her a s.h.i.+lling and she accepted it without hesitation. As soon as he had gone, however, she looked at the coin in her hand in blank wonder. She had accepted it from him with perfect naturalness and without even saying ”Thank you!” With a queer little laugh, she pushed open the swinging doors and made her way into the waiting-room.

In hardly more than a quarter of an hour she emerged, to find Tavernake waiting for her. He had retied his tie, bought a fresh collar, had been shaved. She, too, had improved her appearance.

”Breakfast is waiting this way,” he announced.

She followed him obediently and they sat down at a small table in the station refreshment-room.

”Mr. Tavernake,” she asked, suddenly, ”I must ask you something. Has anything like this ever happened to you before?”

”Nothing,” he a.s.sured her, with some emphasis.

”You seem to take everything so much as a matter of course,” she protested.

”Why not?”

”Oh, I don't know,” she replied, a little feebly. ”Only--”

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