Part 62 (1/2)
She spoke aloud, but her forehead was on the letter on her knee.
”No, don't, Zebedee--darling--dearest--lover. Don't come any sooner. I don't want you to have more days of knowing than you need.”
CHAPTER XXIX
The days of that week were marked by little changes for the better in Mildred Caniper's condition, by little scenes with George. Helen never went on to the moor without finding him in wait for her, and always she went as to some unworthy tryst, despising herself for the appeas.e.m.e.nt she meted out to him, daring to do nothing else. Once more, she saw him as some animal that might be soothed with petting, but, thwarted, would turn fierce and do as he would with her. Her dignity and friends.h.i.+p kept him off; he did not know how to pa.s.s the barrier, and to lock material doors against him would have been to tempt him to force the house. She knew that in this matter cowardice was safety, but as the days crept forward, she wondered how long the weapon would serve her.
Rupert came on Sat.u.r.day and brought sanity into a disordered world, and when he entered the house she caught his arm and held to it.
”Have you been as lonely as all that?” he asked.
”Not a bit lonely, but you're so nice-looking,” she explained, ”and so alive. And Notya is only coming alive slowly. It's like watching something being born. You're whole.”
”And you're rather embarra.s.sing.”
”I want you to talk to me all the time you're here. Tell me things that have nothing to do with us. Rupert, I'm sick of us.” She dropped on to a chair and whispered, ”It's an enchanted house!”
”Are you the princess?”
”Yes. Be careful! I don't want Jane to know.”
He glanced up the stairs. ”The prince is coming soon.”
She ignored that and went on: ”Nurse is an ogress.”
”By Jove, yes! Why couldn't they send some one who looks like a Christian?”
”I believe she'll eat me. But I shouldn't see that, and I can't bear to see her eating anything else. D'you know?”
”Rather. That kind of thing oughtn't to be allowed.”
”She's very kind. She calls me 'dear' all the time, but Notya will hate her when she notices the teeth. Will you go up to her now? I have to--I want to go out for a little while. Then we can have the rest of the day to ourselves.”
He lifted his eyebrows oddly. ”Why not?”
”I mean I needn't go out again.”
”Where are you going now?”
”Just for a walk. I must have a walk.”
”Good girl. I'll look after the family.”
She took her cloak from its peg and slipped through the garden. ”I don't tell the truth. I'm deceitful,” she said to herself, and when she saw George, she hated him.
”I've been here for hours,” he said as she approached.
”There was no need to wait.”