Part 8 (1/2)
She raised her eyes. ”Certainly I shall not discuss you with him.”
”Is that a promise?”
”Harry, how you do dislike him!”
”Well, suppose I do?” he shrugged.
”You've used up twice your twenty minutes,” she said, ”and Clara will be scandalized.”
He stopped the caressing movement of his hand on her hair. ”Are you afraid of Clara?” he asked.
”Mercy, yes!” She was half in earnest and half laughing. ”But then I'm afraid of every one.”
He put his arm affectionately around her. ”But not of me?”
”Oh,” she told him, ”you're a great big purring p.u.s.s.y-cat, and I am your poor little mouse.”
He thought this reply immensely witty, and Flora thought what a great boy he was, after all.
”Now, really, you must go home,” she urged, trying to rise.
”But look here,” he protested, still on the arm of her chair, ”there's another thing I want to ask you about.” And by the tip of one finger he lifted her left hand s.h.i.+ning with rings. ”You will have to have another one of these, you know. It's been on my mind for a week. Is there any sort you haven't already?”
She held up her hand to the light and fluttered its glitter.
”Any one that you gave me would be different from the others, wouldn't it?” she asked prettily.
”Oh, that's very nice of you, Flora, but I want to find you something new. When shall we look for it? To-morrow, in the morning?”
”Yes, I should love it,” she answered, but with no particular enthusiasm, for the idea of shopping with Harry, and shopping at Shrove's, did not present a wide field of possibility. ”But I have a luncheon to-morrow,” she added, ”so we must make it as early as ten.”
”Oh, you two!”
At Clara's mildly reproving voice so close beside them both started like conspirators. They had not heard her come in, yet there she was, just inside the doorway, still wrapped in her cloak. But there was none of the impetus of arrested motion in her att.i.tude. She stood at repose as if she might have waited not to interrupt them.
”Don't scold Flora,” said Harry, rising. ”It's my fault. She sent me away half an hour ago. But it is so comfortable here!”
Flora couldn't tell whether he was simply natural, or whether he was giving this domestic color to their interview on purpose. She rather thought it was the latter.
”To-morrow at ten, then!” he said cheerfully to Flora. The stiff curtains rustled behind him and the two women were left together.
”What an important appointment,” said Clara lightly, ”to bring a man at this hour to make it.”
”Oh, it is, awfully!” Flora answered in the same key. ”To choose my engagement ring.”
Clara's delicate brows flew upward, and though Clara herself made no comment, the quick facial movement said, ”I don't believe it.”
VI
BLACK MAGIC