vercome.

viii

In the morning, when they met, Gaga was sulkily distant; and Sally sat
opposite to him at their chilly breakfast with a puckered brow and a
curled lip. It was not hatred that fired her, but repugnance. If Gaga
had made any motion towards an embrace she would wildly have pushed him
from her. She could not have borne his touch. She was even thankful that
he was so silent. In this estrangement she found momentary relief. And
all the time, hammering in her head, was the one thought--Toby, Toby.
What was she to do with Toby? As she left Gaga at breakfast she was
still on the borders of hysteria. She was suffering so much from the
trials of the night that she was hardly in her senses.

The workroom, with its routine and the need for hiding her feelings,
gave her more relief. She could at least take some pains to sew
accurately, to watch the other girls, and to notice how Miss Summers
started at the slightest noise. Miss Summers, Sally knew, was worrying
about Madam and Madam's health. By now Gaga would be on his way to his
mother's home, equally concerned. Only Sally was indifferent to Madam's
health. She had no interest in it. Where she would, but for Toby, have
followed every report with curiosity, she was now more than callous.
Madam was the least of her dilemmas. Sally's eyes closed; slowly she
rocked to and fro, forgetting even the girls, and ignoring her work
altogether. Toby. Her heart contracted with fear. Toby.

And yet the day wore on, and she came to no conclusion. Late in the
afternoon there came a telephone message. Gaga was on the line, asking
for Sally. A thrill went round the workroom. Gaga-- Sally! All the girls
looked at one another. With a quickly-beating heart Sally went into the
telephone box and answered. As if directly in her ear, Gaga spoke; but
his voice was so strained that she hardly recognised it. She was still
unforgiven. The voice said: "Sally, my ... my mother's very ill. I must
stay here. I shan't come to the hotel to-night. You ... you'll be all
right."

Like lightning Sally answered: "I'll go home to-night."

The voice said "Wha-at?" and she repeated her reply. Gaga seemed almost
pleased. He commended the plan. And Sally hung up the receiver with a
sudden flush that made her whole body feel warm. It was a profound
relief to her. And in the midst of relief she found another emotion more
vehement still. She found passionate joy, and overwhelming temptation,
and then aga