"
"Did you?" he said, and drew in his breath a little. "And what did you
say?"
"Just the usual things--how fortunate you were. And Halcyone said you
were clever and great."
John Derringham did not answer for a moment. This stunned him. Then he
replied, very low, "That was good of her," and Cora noticed that even
with the fresh wind blowing in his face he had grown very pale.
"Cis writes you are going to be married at the beginning of October,"
she said, to change the conversation. "I do hope you will be awfully
happy. It is so exquisite to be in love, isn't it? I adore being
engaged!"
But John Derringham could not bear this--the two things were so widely
severed in his case. He did not answer, and Cora saw, although his face
remained unmoved, that pain grew deep in his eyes.
"Mr. Derringham," she said, "I am going to say something indiscreet and
perhaps in frightful taste--but I am so happy I can't bear to think that
possibly others are not quite. I know Cis awfully well--her character, I
mean. Is there anything I can do for you?"
John Derringham turned with a chillingly haughty glance intended to
wither, but when he saw her sweet face full of frank sympathy and
kindness, it touched him and his manner changed.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360