FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   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   >>   >|  
to do with his actions at present and not with her own thoughts. For this reason she determined to watch him--to be in his company throughout the time of probation. Thus it happened that before Giles could arrange his plans the next day--one of which entailed a neighborly visit to Franklin--Olga made her appearance at his house, and expressed a desire to see his picture gallery, of which she had heard much. Her mother, she said, was coming over that afternoon to look at the house, which, as she had been told, was a model of what an English country-house should be. Giles growled at this speech, being clever enough to see through the artifices of Mademoiselle Olga. "The house is as old as the Tudors," he expostulated; "your mother should look at a more modern one." "Oh, no," replied Olga sweetly. "I am sure she will be delighted with this one; it is so picturesque." "I am afraid that I promised to pay a visit this afternoon." "Ah, you must put it off, Mr. Ware. When two ladies come to see you, you really cannot leave them alone." "If the next day will do----" "I don't think it will. My mother and I leave the next day. She is due in town to a reception at the Austrian Embassy." Ware made other excuses, but Olga would listen to none of them. She stopped all the morning and looked at the pictures, but she never referred to their conversation of the previous night. There was a tacit understanding between them that it should remain in abeyance until the time given for the reply of Giles was ended. Still, Ware could not forget that burning kiss, and was awkward in consequence. Not so Olga. She was quite cool and self-possessed, and although alone with him for close on two hours, did not show the least confusion. Giles, much disgusted, called her in his own mind "unmaidenly." But she was not that, for she behaved very discreetly. She was simply a woman deeply in love who was bent on gaining her ends. Considering the depth of her passion, she restrained herself very creditably when with the man she loved. Giles now saw how it was that she had defied her family and had taken her own way in life. "I won't stop to luncheon," she said, when he asked her; "but I and my mother will come over at three o'clock." It was now close on two. "I am sure we shall have a pleasant afternoon." Giles tried to smile, and succeeded very well, considering what his feelings were at the moment. If he could only have behaved br
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   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   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
mother
 

afternoon

 

behaved

 
remain
 

confusion

 

called

 

abeyance

 

unmaidenly

 

disgusted

 

forget


consequence

 
awkward
 

possessed

 
burning
 
understanding
 

luncheon

 

pleasant

 

moment

 

feelings

 

succeeded


gaining

 

Considering

 

discreetly

 

simply

 

deeply

 
passion
 

defied

 

family

 

previous

 

restrained


creditably

 

English

 
coming
 

gallery

 

country

 

growled

 

artifices

 

Mademoiselle

 

speech

 

clever


picture
 
desire
 

determined

 

company

 

reason

 
actions
 

present

 
thoughts
 
probation
 

neighborly