Part 16 (1/2)
”Mortimer, darling!” she said.
Mortimer had just been going to say something else, but he checked himself.
”Are you alive?” he asked.
”Yes,” she replied.
”Thank G.o.d!” said Mortimer, scooping some of the snow out of the back of his collar.
Together they went into the house, and into the drawing-room. Wife gazed at husband, husband at wife. There was a silence.
”Rotten weather!” said Mortimer.
”Yes, isn't it!”
The spell was broken. They fell into each other's arms. And presently they were sitting side by side on the sofa, holding hands, just as if that awful parting had been but a dream.
It was Mortimer who made the first reference to it.
”I say, you know,” he said, ”you oughtn't to have nipped away like that!”
”I thought you hated me!”
”Hated _you_! I love you better than life itself! I would sooner have smashed my pet driver than have had you leave me!”
She thrilled at the words.
”Darling!”
Mortimer fondled her hand.
”I was just coming back to tell you that I loved you still. I was going to suggest that you took lessons from some good professional. And I found you gone!”
”I wasn't worthy of you, Mortimer!”
”My angel!” He pressed his lips to her hair, and spoke solemnly. ”All this has taught me a lesson, dearest. I knew all along, and I know it more than ever now, that it is you--you that I want. Just you! I don't care if you don't play golf. I don't care----” He hesitated, then went on manfully. ”I don't care even if you play croquet, so long as you are with me!”
For a moment her face showed rapture that made it almost angelic. She uttered a low moan of ecstasy. She kissed him. Then she rose.
”Mortimer, look!”
”What at?”
”Me. Just look!”
The jigger which he had been polis.h.i.+ng lay on a chair close by. She took it up. From the bowl of golf-b.a.l.l.s on the mantelpiece she selected a brand new one. She placed it on the carpet. She addressed it. Then, with a merry cry of ”Fore!” she drove it hard and straight through the gla.s.s of the china-cupboard.
”Good G.o.d!” cried Mortimer, astounded. It had been a bird of a shot.