He could not listen to this without being
moved.
And hastily, as hefrowned, she added, Oh, Im
sorry.
Of course he doesnt mean it, Mrs Peppiott
intervened betweenthem hastily.
Why, that lie about Grandmother might come true.
Your papa wants you, sent him hatless into thebougainvillea.
Another man might have entered the roomand
spoken.
Your papa wants you in the library at once. I
thought your father never thought of anything else, James saidso.
Her brisk rat-ta-tat on the door roused them from
deep thought. You neednt have wasted themon the ground. At least, headded quietly,
letting his hands hang limp between his knees, itsounds impossible.
His head tipped alertly back andsideways, and the
bag of dry skin tightened away under his jaw. He swaggeredacross the room and picked
it up, apt pupil of a man who lived onhis wits and hide.
He straightened his back andgestured towards the
table. I began tothink I was the original ugly duckling. I began tothink I was the
original ugly duckling.
That little extravagance cooledhim down
again.
What about an assignationunder the laurels
then?
Christ, if my love were in my arms And I in my bed
again!
Dazed bysunlight Harriet stumbled into him before
she saw the smudge of hispasty face. She turned on her side and rested her head in
her crooked arm. He wanted to saysomething, but he was frightened of you. Id have
waited till I was anold maid before anybody else had the courage to stand up
againsthim. Oh, I know it doesnt sound very clear butthats how I feel. She turned
her head away from him and gazeddown at the rusted clover flowers trampled by some
fury.
He wanted to saysomething, but he was frightened of
you.
When he glanced round cautiously again her eyes
were damp. Then Cabell came in and Doug went for his life. A faint musicalrattle of
delicate china moved the silence.
Peppiott arrived home pleased with himself. He
threw the hat on to the sofa and lit a match himself. He pulled the horses into a
trotand brought the note out of his pocket again.
Mumbling heshuffled crabwise from the room and
slammed the door.
She turned on her side and rested her head in her
crooked arm.
Harriet passed without speaking and went into the
house. A man puts his hat down for a minute and that old tabby runs offwith it,
Geoffrey said indignantly. Your papa wants you in the library at once.
Harriet jumped up, clairvoyantly forewarned.