So for the rest of
that day and those that followed she behaved with maddening
capriciousness, keeping him waiting for every meal and every
appointment--changing her mind as to what she would do--lavishing
caresses upon him which made him wince, and then treating him with
mocking coldness; but all with such extreme cleverness that she never
once gave him the chance to bring things to an open rupture. She was
beginning really to enjoy herself in this new game--it required even
more skill to torture and hold than to attract and keep at arm's length.
But at last John Derringham could bear no more.
They had continuous lunches and dinners with the gay party of Americans
who had been of the company on the first evening, and there was never a
moment's peace. A life in public was as the breath of Cecilia
Cricklander's nostrils, and she did not consider the wishes of her
betrothed. In fact, but for spoken sympathy over his shattered condition
and inability to walk much, she did not consider him at all, and exacted
his attendance on all occasions, whether too fatiguing for him or not.
Pages:
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374