第50章

Dartiewaslyingonthebedinhisdressing-room，fullyredressedinabluesergesuitandpumps；hisarmswerecrossedbehindhishead，andanextinctcigarettedroopedfromhismouth。

Winifredrememberedridiculouslytheflowersinherwindow-boxesafterablazingsummerday；thewaytheylay，orratherstood——

parched，yetrestedbythesun’sretreat。Itwasasifalittledewhadcomealreadyonherburnt-uphusband。

Hesaidapathetically：”Isupposeyou’vebeentoParkLane。How’stheoldman?”

Winifredcouldnothelpthebitteranswer：”Notdead。”

Hewinced，actuallyhewinced。”Understand，Monty，”shesaid，”Iwillnothavehimworried。Ifyouaren’tgoingtobehaveyourself，youmaygoback，youmaygoanywhere。Haveyouhaddinner?”

No。”Wouldyoulikesome?”

Heshruggedhisshoulders。”Imogenofferedmesome。Ididn’twantany。”

Imogen！IntheplenitudeofemotionWinifredhadforgottenher。”Soyou’veseenher?Whatdidshesay?””Shegavemeakiss。”

WithmortificationWinifredsawhisdarksardonicfacerelaxed。

’Yes！’shethought，’hecaresforher，notformeabit。’

Dartie’seyesweremovingfromsidetoside。”Doessheknowaboutme?”hesaid。

ItflashedthroughWinifredthatherewastheweaponsheneeded。

Hemindedtheirknowing！”No。Valknows。Theothersdon’t；theyonlyknowyouwentaway。”

Sheheardhimsighwithrelief。”Buttheyshallknow，”shesaidfirmly，”ifyougivemecause。””Allright！”hemuttered，”hitme！I’mdown！”

Winifredwentuptothebed。”Lookhere，Monty！Idon’twanttohityou。Idon’twanttohurtyou。Ishan’talludetoanything。

I’mnotgoingtoworry。What’stheuse?”Shewassilentamoment。”Ican’tstandanymore，though，andIwon’t！You’dbetterknow。

You’vemademesuffer。ButIusedtobefondofyou。Forthesakeofthat……”Shemettheheavy-liddedgazeofhisbrowneyeswiththedownwardstareofhergreen-greyeyes；touchedhishandsuddenly，turnedherback，andwentintoherroom。

Shesattherealongtimebeforeherglass，fingeringherrings，thinkingofthissubdueddarkman，almostastrangertoher，onthebedintheotherroom；resolutelynot’worrying，’butgnawedbyjealousyofwhathehadbeenthrough，andnowandagainjustvisitedbypity。

CHAPTERXIV

OUTLANDISHNIGHT

Soamesdoggedlyletthespringcome——noeasytaskforoneconsciousthattimewasflying，hisbirdsinthebushnonearerthehand，noissuefromthewebanywherevisible。Mr。Polteedreportednothing，exceptthathiswatchwenton——costingalotofmoney。Valandhiscousinweregonetothewar，whencecamenewsmorefavourable；

Dartiewasbehavinghimselfsofar；Jameshadretainedhishealth；

businessprosperedalmostterribly——therewasnothingtoworrySoamesexceptthathewas’heldup，’couldmakenostepinanydirection。

HedidnotexactlyavoidSoho，forhecouldnotaffordtoletthemthinkthathehad’pipedoff，’asJameswouldhaveputit——hemightwantto’pipeon’againatanyminute。ButhehadtobesorestrainedandcautiousthathewouldoftenpassthedooroftheRestaurantBretagnewithoutgoingin，andwanderoutofthepurlieusofthatregionwhichalwaysgavehimthefeelingofhavingbeenpossessivelyirregular。

Hewandered

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