"So it wasn't Arthur, after all!" he said at last.
"No," she answered softly, "it wasn't Arthur--thank God!"
"Amen!" said he, so fervently that she glanced up at him swiftly, then
looked into the fire again. Seeing how the colour deepened in her cheek,
he came a little nearer; but still he didn't touch her; instead, he took
out tobacco pouch and pipe and began to fill it with strangely clumsy
fingers, and Hermione saw that his hands were trembling.
"Let me!" she said gently. So he surrendered pipe and pouch and,
watching, saw that her hands trembled also; when at last she had filled
the pipe, he took it and laid it on the table.
"Aren't you going to smoke, dear?"
"No, not now. You'll remember that Arthur also suggested you should--"
"Give you something to drink!" she added a little breathlessly and
crossed to the cellaret in the corner. "Will you have brandy and soda?"
"Thanks--yes--that will do," he answered absently, and when she
dutifully brought the filled glass he took it and set it down untasted
beside the pipe.
Pages:
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521