Her
face, again, was long and oval, with a peculiar transparence to the
skin and a peculiar faint, healthy circulation of the blood well
below the surface, which relieved her complexion of pallor, but did
not give her a colour. The lips, on the contrary, were satin red,
and Orde was mildly surprised, after his recent talk, to find them
sensitively moulded, and with a quaint, child-like quirk at the
corners. Her eyes were rather contemplative, and so black as to
resemble spots.
In spite of her half-scornful references to "bread-throwing," she
joined with evident pleasure in the badinage and more practical fun
which struck the note of the supper. Only Orde thought to discern
even in her more boisterous movements a graceful, courteous
restraint, to catch in the bend of her head a dainty concession to
the joy of the moment, to hear in the tones of her laughter a
reservation of herself, which nevertheless was not at all a
reservation, against the others.
After the meal was finished, each had his candle to blow out, and
then all returned to the parlour, leaving the debris for the later
attention of the "hired help."
Orde with determination made his way to Miss Bishop's side. She
smiled at him.
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