Part 51 (2/2)
”You love her so much as this?” she gasped.
He relinquished her hand--stood a moment looking dumbly at her and then walked the length of the room away. The little clock on the mantel ticked gaily, the fire sparkled and the familiar sounds of the careless city came faintly to their ears. She stirred and he turned toward her.
”Will you promise?” he asked quietly.
”Promise what?”
”Not to speak--of what you saw at Alenon.”
”Yes. I promise that,” she said slowly at last.
”Or let De Folligny speak?”
Another silence. And then from thinned lips.
”I--I will use my influence--to keep him silent.”
The firmness of her tone a.s.sured him. He caught up her hands and pressed them softly to his lips.
”I knew you would, Olga. I knew you were bigger than that. I thank you--I will never forget--”
But before he could finish she had s.n.a.t.c.hed her fingers away from him and was laughing softly at the tea-caddy.
”Now, if you please,” she said composedly, ”we will speak of pleasanter things.”
She opened a long silver box on the table and took a cigarette, offering him one.
”The pipe of peace?” he asked.
”If you like.”
He drew in the smoke gratefully.
”Olga, you're a trump,” he said with a genuine heartiness.
”Thanks,” she said dryly. ”I know it. And you're playing me quite successfully--aren't you? Hearts? and I'm the 'dummy.' I never liked playing the 'dummy.'”
He laughed.
”I wish I were quite sure in my mind what you _do_ like to play.”
Her look questioned coolly.
”I mean, that, as well as I've thought I've know you, I find that I've never known you at all. You're a creature of bewildering transitions.
I hear that you're going to marry De Folligny.”
”And what if I am?” she flashed at him.
<script>