FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  
smiling faintly: "Was that the thing that was to please me?" She nodded, not looking at him. He laid his hand for an instant upon hers. "Thank you, Chris," he said. She turned instantly and smiled upon him. "You can give it to Bertie if you don't like it," she made blithe response. CHAPTER XIII PALS "Ah! now for a good talk," said Chris. "We have got at least half an hour. Are you tired, Bertie, or only bored?" But he was neither, he assured her. He had enjoyed his evening greatly. No, he had not danced. He had found it enough diverting to look on tranquilly in a corner. _Mais oui_, everybody had been most kind, including his hostess, to whom he paid a special tribute of appreciation. He had found her as gracious as she was beautiful. "Did she try to pump you?" asked Chris. He raised his brows in humorous bewilderment. But to pump--what was it? To ask questions? Ah yes, she had asked him several questions. He had not answered all of them. He feared she had found him a little stupid. But she had been very patient with him, ah! so patient--he spread out his hands, with the old, quick smile, and Chris's peal of laughter echoed far and wide. "Bertie, you're too heavenly for words! Then she didn't find out about Valpre? She thinks--I suppose she thinks--that Trevor introduced us to each other." "I do not know what she thinks," the Frenchman made answer. "But no, we did not speak of Valpre! That is a secret, _hein_?" "Not exactly a secret. I told Max. But Aunt Philippa--oh, she is so different. She never understands things," said Chris. "I daresay she will find out from Trevor as it is; but I hope she won't--I do hope she won't!" He smiled comprehendingly. "But Mr. Mordaunt--he understands, yes?" he said. She hesitated. "I never told even him about that night in the Magic Cave, Bertie." "No?" he said, his quick eyes upon her. "But why not?" She shook her head with vehemence. "I couldn't. Everyone--even Jack--made such a fuss at the time--as if--as if"--she turned crimson--"I had done something really wicked. I'm sure I don't know why. I always said so." There was defiance as well as distress in her voice. Bertrand leaned a little towards her. "Mr. Mordaunt would not think like that," he said, with conviction. She looked at him dubiously. "I'm not so sure. He has extraordinary views on some things. I never quite know how he will take anything. Other people are the same. You
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135  
136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Bertie
 

thinks

 

questions

 
things
 
understands
 
Mordaunt
 

Valpre

 

secret

 

patient

 

Trevor


smiled
 
turned
 

answer

 

daresay

 

Frenchman

 

suppose

 

Philippa

 

introduced

 

couldn

 

conviction


leaned
 

distress

 

Bertrand

 
looked
 

people

 
dubiously
 
extraordinary
 

defiance

 

vehemence

 

comprehendingly


hesitated

 

Everyone

 
wicked
 
crimson
 

diverting

 
tranquilly
 

danced

 

greatly

 

assured

 

enjoyed


evening

 

nodded

 
smiling
 

faintly

 
instant
 
response
 

CHAPTER

 

blithe

 
instantly
 

corner