Part 15 (2/2)
”But I'm feeling scared myself,” he said comically. ”And the front door's wide open, I'll bet.”
”And that swearing tramp could walk in if he liked!”
”But we mustn't be afraid of open doors,” Helen said, and listened to her own words for a moment. Then she smiled, remembering where she had heard them. ”We're frightening each other, and we must wash up. Look at the muddle!”
”It will make a clatter,” Miriam objected, ”and if you hadn't gone for that walk and made the house feel lonely, I shouldn't be like this now.
Something's peeping at me!”
”It's only Mr. Pinderwell,” Helen said. ”Come and dry.”
”I shall sleep in your bed tonight.”
”Then I shall sleep in yours.”
”I wish Rupert would come.”
”John, do go and shut the windows.”
”But take a light.”
”It would be blown out.”
Helen lowered the mop she had been wielding. ”And Notya--where is she?”
John lifted his shoulders and opened the door. A gust of wind came down the pa.s.sage, the front door was loudly shut, and Rupert whistled clearly.
”Oh, here he is,” Miriam said on a deep breath, and went to meet him.
John pointed towards the hall. ”I don't know why he should make us all feel brave.”
”There's something--beautiful about him,” Helen said.
CHAPTER X
Helen was ironing in the kitchen the next afternoon when Daniel Mackenzie appeared in the doorway. She turned to him with a welcome, but the perfection of her manner was lost on Daniel: for the kitchen was empty of Miriam, and that was all he noticed.
”Hasn't Rupert come with you?” Helen asked.
”I missed him,” he said in his melancholy voice. ”Perhaps he missed me,”
he added with resignation. He was a tall young man with large hands and feet, and his eyes were vague behind his spectacles. ”I thought he would be here. Is everybody out?”
”Notya's away, you know.”
”He told me.”
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