"Keep the place in the corner for me!" he
commanded, and lounged away upon his errand with imperial leisureliness.
Dinah watched his tall figure out of sight. The encounter both astounded
and thrilled her. She wondered if she were cheapening herself by meekly
obeying his behest, wondered what Rose--that practised coquette--would
have done under such circumstances; but to depart seemed so wholly out of
the question that she dismissed the wonder as futile. She could only wait
for the play to develop, and trust to her own particular luck, which had
so favoured her the night before, to give her a cue.
He returned with tea and cake which he set before her on a little table
that he had apparently secured beforehand for the purpose. "I am sure you
must be ravenous," he said, in those high-bred, somewhat insolent accents
of his.
"I am," Dinah admitted frankly.
"Then let me see you satisfy your hunger!" he said, seating himself in
the corner he had reserved.
"Oh, but not alone!" she protested. "You--you must have some too."
He laughed. "No. I am going to smoke--with your permission. It will do me
more good."
"Oh, pray do!" said Dinah, embarrassed still but strangely elated. "It
makes me feel rather greedy, that's all."
"I am greedy too," he told her, his blue eyes still upon her vivid,
sparkling face. "And--always with your permission--I am going to indulge
my greed.
Pages:
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110