gears they drove away.
Ninian laughed.
‘Adriana at her most peremptory! What’s the odds the wretched Mabel will be made to toil up to the top?’
They changed the books and worked through a dull list of household shopping. There really seemed to be no good reason why they should be doing it, since with the exception of the books everything could have been ordered by telephone.
However, as Ninian said, there wasn’t any point about looking the gift-horse in the mouth.
‘Actually, you know, I think Adriana is trying to throw us together.’
Janet said, ‘Nonsense!’ and was admonished.
‘Now there you are being hasty. And not the first time I have had to tell you about it either! A spot of matchmaking would be a diversion for Adriana, and it would have the added attraction of being quite certain to annoy Meriel.’
‘Why should she want to annoy Meriel?’
‘Darling, don’t ask me, but it is quite obvious that she does. At a guess I should say that she just plants a dart wherever she can. No real harm intended, but a distinct pleasure in seeing whether she can’t make any of us rise. If we do, it’s a point to her. If we can ward it off or throw it back, well, that’s a point to us. It’s a kind of game.’
Janet said soberly,
‘It’s the kind of game that makes people hate you.’
Ninian laughed.
‘Do you know, I’ve got an idea she would find that quite exhilarating.’
They were to be picked up by the corner of the station approach at a quarter past four, Adriana declaring that five o’clock was quite early enough for tea, and that anyhow they would be home by the quarter to. But at twenty to four Ninian declared that only immediate refreshment would save him from an ingrowing anti-shopping complex which would probably become chronic.
‘And just think how inconvenient you are going to find that!’
Janet looked at him in what she meant to be a repressive manner.
‘I?’
‘Naturally. You wouldn’t be able to risk bringing it on. No little shopping-list pressed into my hand with a farewell kiss as I rush off to the office in the morning.’
Ignoring all but a single startling word, Janet caught her breath and said,
‘The office?’
‘Of course. Didn’t I mention it? On the first of October I become a wage-slave in a publishing firm. I shall have a pay-packet, and an office desk in a back room looking on to a mews.’
He saw her face change. It became warm and eager. She said,
‘Oh, Ringan!’ And then in a hurry, ‘Do you mind dreadfully?’
He slipped a hand inside her arm and gave it a squeeze.
‘I wouldn’t be doing it if I did. Actually, I think it’s going to be quite interesting. It’s Firth and Saunders, you know. You remember Andrew Firth. We’ve always been friends, so when I found there was an opening with his people I thought I’d put in old Cousin Jessie Rutherford’s money. Andrew said they’d probably take me, and they did. I’ve finished another book, so I’ve got something in hand.’
Janet did not say anything for a moment. They walked along past the shop windows. The town was full, people brushed past them. This wasn’t public property. He was telling her what he hadn’t told Star. He had always told her things, but he had generally told Star too. She said,
‘I thought your book did well – the second one?’
‘It did. And the next is going to do better, and so forth and so on. But this doesn’t mean I’m going to stop writing – I’ve made quite a good plan about that. Now this is where we turn off and get our cup of tea. It’s a good place to talk.’
A stone’s throw down the narrow crooked street there hung the sign of a golden kettle, very bright and new. The place it advertised could hardly have been much older without falling to pieces. It had windows dim with bottle-glass, interior visibility of no more than a couple of yards, and beams which threatened anyone over six foot with concussion. As they threaded their way across
Ninian laughed.
‘Adriana at her most peremptory! What’s the odds the wretched Mabel will be made to toil up to the top?’
They changed the books and worked through a dull list of household shopping. There really seemed to be no good reason why they should be doing it, since with the exception of the books everything could have been ordered by telephone.
However, as Ninian said, there wasn’t any point about looking the gift-horse in the mouth.
‘Actually, you know, I think Adriana is trying to throw us together.’
Janet said, ‘Nonsense!’ and was admonished.
‘Now there you are being hasty. And not the first time I have had to tell you about it either! A spot of matchmaking would be a diversion for Adriana, and it would have the added attraction of being quite certain to annoy Meriel.’
‘Why should she want to annoy Meriel?’
‘Darling, don’t ask me, but it is quite obvious that she does. At a guess I should say that she just plants a dart wherever she can. No real harm intended, but a distinct pleasure in seeing whether she can’t make any of us rise. If we do, it’s a point to her. If we can ward it off or throw it back, well, that’s a point to us. It’s a kind of game.’
Janet said soberly,
‘It’s the kind of game that makes people hate you.’
Ninian laughed.
‘Do you know, I’ve got an idea she would find that quite exhilarating.’
They were to be picked up by the corner of the station approach at a quarter past four, Adriana declaring that five o’clock was quite early enough for tea, and that anyhow they would be home by the quarter to. But at twenty to four Ninian declared that only immediate refreshment would save him from an ingrowing anti-shopping complex which would probably become chronic.
‘And just think how inconvenient you are going to find that!’
Janet looked at him in what she meant to be a repressive manner.
‘I?’
‘Naturally. You wouldn’t be able to risk bringing it on. No little shopping-list pressed into my hand with a farewell kiss as I rush off to the office in the morning.’
Ignoring all but a single startling word, Janet caught her breath and said,
‘The office?’
‘Of course. Didn’t I mention it? On the first of October I become a wage-slave in a publishing firm. I shall have a pay-packet, and an office desk in a back room looking on to a mews.’
He saw her face change. It became warm and eager. She said,
‘Oh, Ringan!’ And then in a hurry, ‘Do you mind dreadfully?’
He slipped a hand inside her arm and gave it a squeeze.
‘I wouldn’t be doing it if I did. Actually, I think it’s going to be quite interesting. It’s Firth and Saunders, you know. You remember Andrew Firth. We’ve always been friends, so when I found there was an opening with his people I thought I’d put in old Cousin Jessie Rutherford’s money. Andrew said they’d probably take me, and they did. I’ve finished another book, so I’ve got something in hand.’
Janet did not say anything for a moment. They walked along past the shop windows. The town was full, people brushed past them. This wasn’t public property. He was telling her what he hadn’t told Star. He had always told her things, but he had generally told Star too. She said,
‘I thought your book did well – the second one?’
‘It did. And the next is going to do better, and so forth and so on. But this doesn’t mean I’m going to stop writing – I’ve made quite a good plan about that. Now this is where we turn off and get our cup of tea. It’s a good place to talk.’
A stone’s throw down the narrow crooked street there hung the sign of a golden kettle, very bright and new. The place it advertised could hardly have been much older without falling to pieces. It had windows dim with bottle-glass, interior visibility of no more than a couple of yards, and beams which threatened anyone over six foot with concussion. As they threaded their way across
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