Part 43 (1/2)
She looked at him earnestly.
”Really,” she said, ”you are a strange, stolid young man. I wonder,” she went on, smiling into his face, ”are you in love with my sister?”
Tavernake made no immediate response, only something flashed for a moment in his eyes which puzzled her.
”Why do you look at me like that?” she demanded. ”You are not angry with me for asking?”
”No, I am not angry,” he replied. ”It isn't that. But you must know--you must see!”
Then she indeed did see that he was laboring under a very great emotion.
She leaned towards him, laughing softly.
”Now you are really becoming interesting,” she murmured. ”Tell me--tell me all about it.”
”I don't know what love is!” Tavernake declared fiercely. ”I don't know what it means to be in love!”
Again she laughed in his face.
”Are you so sure?” she whispered.
She saw the veins stand out upon his temples, watched the pa.s.sion which kept him at first tongue-tied.
”Sure!” he muttered. ”Who can be sure when you look like that!”
He held out his arms. With a swift little backward movement she flitted away and leaned against the table.
”What a brother-in-law you would make!” she laughed. ”So steady, so respectable, alas! so serious! Dear Mr. Tavernake, I wish you joy. As a matter of fact, you and Beatrice are very well suited for one another.”
The telephone bell rang. She moved over and held the receiver to her ear. Her face changed. After the first few words to which she listened, it grew dark with anger.
”You mean to say that Professor Franklin has not been in since lunch-time?” she exclaimed. ”I left word particularly that I should require him to-night. Is Major Post there, then? No? Mr. Crease--no?
Nor Mr. Faulkes? Not one of them! Very well, ring me up directly the professor comes in, or any of them.”
She replaced the receiver with a gesture of annoyance. Tavernake was astonished at the alteration in her expression. The smile had gone, and with its pa.s.sing away lines had come under her eyes and about her mouth.
Without a word to him she strode away into her bedroom. Tavernake was just wondering whether he should retire, when she came back.
”Listen, Mr. Tavernake,” she said, ”how far away are your rooms?”
”Down at Chelsea,” he answered, ”about two miles and a half.”
”Take a taxi and drive there,” she commanded, ”or stop. You will find my car outside. I will telephone down to say that you are to use it. Change into your evening clothes and come back for me. I want you to take me out to supper.”
He looked at her in amazement. She stamped her foot.
”Don't stand there hesitating!” she ordered. ”Do as I say! You don't expect I am going to help you to buy your wretched property if you refuse me the simplest of favors? Hurry, I say! Hurry!”
”I am really very sorry,” Tavernake interposed, ”but I do not possess a dress suit. I would go, with pleasure, but I haven't got such a thing.”
She looked at him for a moment incredulously. Then she broke into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. She sat down upon the edge of a couch and wiped the tears from her eyes.