FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169  
170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   >>   >|  
of more value than a dozen tonics. She was no longer shut in alone with her own thoughts--with him she could talk freely and naturally. Even the under-current of hostile criticism of which she was almost hourly conscious ceased to fret her nerves. Insensibly Lord St. John's evident affection for his niece and quiet appreciation of her musicianship influenced Lady Gertrude for the time being, softening her attitude towards her future daughter-in-law, even though it brought her no nearer understanding her. Isobel, alertly capable of adapting herself to the prevailing atmosphere, reflected in her manner the same change. She had long since learned to keep the private workings of her mind locked up--when it seemed advisable. "I'm glad to see you in what will one day be your own home, Nan," said Lord St. John. They were sitting alone together in the West Parlour, chatting in the cosy intimacy of the firelight. "I'd rather you saw it when it _is_ my own home," she returned with a rueful smile. "It will look very different then, I hope." "Yet I'm glad to see it now," he repeated. There was a slight emphasis on the word "now," and Nan glanced up in surprise. "Why now particularly?" she asked, smiling. "Are you going to cold-shoulder me after I'm married?" Lord St. John shook his head. "That's very likely, isn't it?" he said, smiling. "No, my dear, that's not the reason." He paused as though searching for words, then went on quietly: "The silver chord is getting a bit frayed, you know, Nan. I'm an old man, and I'm just beginning to know it." She caught her breath quickly and her face whitened. Then she forced a laugh. "Nonsense, Uncle David! Kitty always declares you're the youngest of us all." His eyes smiled back at her. "Unfortunately, my dear, Time takes no account of a juvenile spirit. His job is with this body of ours. But the spirit," he added dreamingly, "and its youthfulness--that's for eternity." "But you look quite well--_quite_ well," she insisted. And her manner was the more positive because in her inmost mind she thought she could detect a slight increase of that frail appearance she had first noticed on Penelope's wedding-day. "I've had hints, Nan--Nature's wireless. So I saw Jermyn Carter a few weeks back--" "What did he say?" She interrupted swiftly. "That at my age a man mustn't expect his heart to be the same as in his twenties." A silence fell between them
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169  
170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
spirit
 

manner

 

smiling

 

slight

 

declares

 
youngest
 
Nonsense
 

account

 
juvenile
 

smiled


longer

 

tonics

 
Unfortunately
 

forced

 
silver
 

quietly

 
paused
 
searching
 

frayed

 

thoughts


breath

 

quickly

 

whitened

 

caught

 

beginning

 

daughter

 

Carter

 

Jermyn

 

Nature

 

wireless


interrupted

 
swiftly
 

silence

 

twenties

 

expect

 
wedding
 

eternity

 
insisted
 

youthfulness

 
dreamingly

positive
 

appearance

 
noticed
 
Penelope
 

increase

 

inmost

 
thought
 

detect

 
reason
 

affection