of sapphire colored wool, the red-gold silken hair laid close to her smooth young forehead beneath the jaunty hat.
Mrs. Perros would be here in a moment, she told herself. There was the doctor’s car with the glint of sun on it beyond the barrier. She saw the plump familiar figure hurrying then, running towards her between the dying beds of summer flowers, and the whitewashed stones and country milk cans.
With a sickening jerk her heart stood still. Because Mrs. Perros was not alone. It was Garth holding her arm, helping her in her haste, smiling with her as she cried out her welcome. Garth looking so debonair, so careless, his grey eyes twinkling—as though there were no dark and hurting bitterness between them!
For a moment Joan did not know what to do, her glance turning away desperately as though, too late, she sought some means of escape. This was terrible. This was mean , she thought in a perfect flurry of resentment. It was Garth then who had worked this miraculous timely invitation for her. Garth who had planned the whole thing. For, of course, he had known that her five days’ holiday was due. She hadn’t dreamed of this in her wildest moments. Garth never left town for odd weekends in the midst of his work. It wasn’t usually possible for him to get away. But this time he had contrived it somehow.
Oh, she had been a fool to come! To walk so nicely into his trap ... for there would be no avoiding him now! Before her suddenly the weekend stretched with its nightmare possibilities and her heart quailed.
“Joan, my dear, how nice to see you!” Mrs. Perros said, kissing her.
“Joanna! This is great,” Garth echoed, and with all the assurance in the world, stooped and kissed her too!
CHAPTER SEVEN
Joan stiffened under this salute, her only emotion at the touch of his lips being one of immense and outraged surprise. Really Garth was acting in the most extraordinary fashion lately! He didn’t seem to have the smallest shred of decency or consideration left in him. It was diabolically clever of him to have planned this visit, knowing perfectly well that she would be unable to show her displeasure at the trick in front of his parents. For, of course, they were unaware of Vera Petrovna’s existence; they must be. Always, Joan recalled with a pang, they had treated herself and Garth as though they were tacitly engaged. It was all going to be most frightfully awkward. Even now, Mrs. Perros was beaming at her romantically, saying, “It’s so good to have you both at home together, children! You’ll be able to amuse each other nicely. It really was lucky Garth was able to get this particular weekend off.”
“Not so much luck as good management!” murmured Garth, with a mischievous glance for Joan. The look she flashed back at him ought to have told him most eloquently what she thought of him, but he merely took her arm affectionately, his mother taking her other arm, and in this amiable fashion the three of them walked to the car.
“You’re a bit thinner, my dear, but it suits you.” Mrs. Perros was saying. “I’m glad they haven’t quite worked you to death at the hospital.” Her eyes were admiring for the slick blue hat, the glowing, vivid little face, the trim well-cut suit. “You look charming , most charming,” she said with an affectionate squeeze for Joan’s arm.
Joan gave her a grateful smile. “It’s sweet of you to say so, Auntie Miggs. I love being thinner—and I love hospital. But most of all at the moment I love being here—with you,” she added hastily, avoiding Garth’s glance.
They were getting into the car now. Garth at the wheel and Joan jumping hastily into the back with Mrs. Perros.
“Now, you sit with Garth, dear,” Mrs. Perros said with a coy little smile which was meant to convey a special understanding of the relationship of the two young people.
But Joan stayed where she was. “It’s you I want to talk to,” she persisted. “I see Garth all the
Mrs. Perros would be here in a moment, she told herself. There was the doctor’s car with the glint of sun on it beyond the barrier. She saw the plump familiar figure hurrying then, running towards her between the dying beds of summer flowers, and the whitewashed stones and country milk cans.
With a sickening jerk her heart stood still. Because Mrs. Perros was not alone. It was Garth holding her arm, helping her in her haste, smiling with her as she cried out her welcome. Garth looking so debonair, so careless, his grey eyes twinkling—as though there were no dark and hurting bitterness between them!
For a moment Joan did not know what to do, her glance turning away desperately as though, too late, she sought some means of escape. This was terrible. This was mean , she thought in a perfect flurry of resentment. It was Garth then who had worked this miraculous timely invitation for her. Garth who had planned the whole thing. For, of course, he had known that her five days’ holiday was due. She hadn’t dreamed of this in her wildest moments. Garth never left town for odd weekends in the midst of his work. It wasn’t usually possible for him to get away. But this time he had contrived it somehow.
Oh, she had been a fool to come! To walk so nicely into his trap ... for there would be no avoiding him now! Before her suddenly the weekend stretched with its nightmare possibilities and her heart quailed.
“Joan, my dear, how nice to see you!” Mrs. Perros said, kissing her.
“Joanna! This is great,” Garth echoed, and with all the assurance in the world, stooped and kissed her too!
CHAPTER SEVEN
Joan stiffened under this salute, her only emotion at the touch of his lips being one of immense and outraged surprise. Really Garth was acting in the most extraordinary fashion lately! He didn’t seem to have the smallest shred of decency or consideration left in him. It was diabolically clever of him to have planned this visit, knowing perfectly well that she would be unable to show her displeasure at the trick in front of his parents. For, of course, they were unaware of Vera Petrovna’s existence; they must be. Always, Joan recalled with a pang, they had treated herself and Garth as though they were tacitly engaged. It was all going to be most frightfully awkward. Even now, Mrs. Perros was beaming at her romantically, saying, “It’s so good to have you both at home together, children! You’ll be able to amuse each other nicely. It really was lucky Garth was able to get this particular weekend off.”
“Not so much luck as good management!” murmured Garth, with a mischievous glance for Joan. The look she flashed back at him ought to have told him most eloquently what she thought of him, but he merely took her arm affectionately, his mother taking her other arm, and in this amiable fashion the three of them walked to the car.
“You’re a bit thinner, my dear, but it suits you.” Mrs. Perros was saying. “I’m glad they haven’t quite worked you to death at the hospital.” Her eyes were admiring for the slick blue hat, the glowing, vivid little face, the trim well-cut suit. “You look charming , most charming,” she said with an affectionate squeeze for Joan’s arm.
Joan gave her a grateful smile. “It’s sweet of you to say so, Auntie Miggs. I love being thinner—and I love hospital. But most of all at the moment I love being here—with you,” she added hastily, avoiding Garth’s glance.
They were getting into the car now. Garth at the wheel and Joan jumping hastily into the back with Mrs. Perros.
“Now, you sit with Garth, dear,” Mrs. Perros said with a coy little smile which was meant to convey a special understanding of the relationship of the two young people.
But Joan stayed where she was. “It’s you I want to talk to,” she persisted. “I see Garth all the
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