Winding Paths Part 37

And then, of course, there was Hal. Hal never had liked her and probably never would. Not that it mattered very much. In fact, it was rather pleasant than otherwise to think of Hal's discomfiture and dismay, Doris wondered if she would expect to live with them, and made up her mind then and there, very decisively, that she would never agree to anything of the kind.

She had suffered quite enough from Ethel's superiority, without encountering a second edition in Hal. As she thought of it, and of how she would checkmate Hal's possible plans to make her home with them, she smiled to herself a little cruelly in the darkness.

CHAPTER XX

It was Hal also who filled Dudley's thoughts as he made his way homeward. In her att.i.tude to his engagement he was afraid she was going to personate what is known as a 'though nut to crack." He wondered if she would be waiting up for him, and what in the world she would say when he told her.

As it happened, she was waiting, sitting over the remains of a little fire she had lighted for company. The reason she felt the need of company, and the reason she was waiting, was the fact of a perturbed frame of mind she was endeavouring to soothe, until he came in to give the final touch.

She was perturbed because of the change in Sir Edwin Crathie, and the closing scene of a somewhat eventful day. Until tea-time he had been as gay and lighthearted and inconsequent as ever.

Their lunch in the New Forest had been an immense success, and both had enjoyed it thoroughly. On their way home they further enjoyed a big tea at an hotel.

Moreover, the drive had been delightful. The glory of the autumn tints; the delicious stillness of the autumn weather, and the sunny coolness of the atmosphere had all contributed to make the day perfect.

After her long hours of office work and monotony, Hal was only the better tuned to enjoy it, and as she leant back in blissful ease in the luxurious motor, she thought what a goose she would have been to let prudish thoughts influence her to forgo it.

Then, once more, after tea, he had deliberately moved his chair nearer to hers, and struck a personal note that she found it difficult to combat.

"Do you know," he told her blandly, "you're the dearest litte woman I've met for a long time? I don't know when I've enjoyed a whole day with any one so much as this."

"It's just the novelty," she said, adopting a note of unconcern to head him off; "most of your friends flatter and try to please you. It amuses me more to contradict you; that's all."

"Oh, that's all, is it! Well, I dare say if I found a special joy in being contradicted, I could easily humour the fancy without going for a whole day into the country."

"Ver likely - only, since you wanted your day in the country, you kill two birds with one stone, don't you see?"

"And supposing I badly wanted something else from you besides contradiction!... a little affection, for instance!"

"Oh, I'm giving you a lot of that thrown in," gaily, but she pushed her chair a little farther away; "if I didn't rather like you I shouldn't bother to contradict you."

"Rather like me!... that's very cold - I, a great deal more than _rather_ like you."

"That, of course, is different," with a jaunty air, that made them both laugh.

"Still, I don't think we can stop a 'rather liking', now - do you?"

"I don't see why we shouldn't; we are getting on very nicely."

He got up suddenly, and walked away to the window. In his heart of hearts he was a little nonplussed. Of course they couldn't stop where they were, he argued; but how, with a girl of Hal's practical level-headedness get any farther?

Then he remembered he was a firm believer in swift and sudden measures, and usually found they fitted all contingencies. So he swung round, crossed the room, put his hand on her shoulders, and boldly kissed her.

"There," he said - "that is how I 'rather like' you."

Hal was quite taken aback - almost too taken aback to speak; but a red spot burned in each cheek, and a sudden flash seemed to gleam angrily in her eyes. Her quick brain, however, took in the position instantly.

If she grew indignant and melodramatic, he would merely laugh at her.

Of course he knew she must be perfectly aware that men often kissed a girl who stood to them in her position, without thinking much of it.

To make a fuss would be rather absurd. On the other hand, of course, he had to be disillusioned concerning what he apparently supposed would be her feelings on the subject.

"I call that bad taste," she said coolly. "You might have given me a sporting chance to let you know beforehand I should object." He looked about to repeat the action, but she edged away from him. "Of course I know lots of girls don't mind, but that's nothing to do with you and me. I do."

"Why do you mind?" He felt rather small before the directness of her eyes, and tried to bl.u.s.ter himself on to his former level. "It's very silly of you, especially nowadays. There's no harm in a kiss, is there?"

"None that I know of, but I think we were getting on very nicely without it. We won't risk spoiling things. Come along, I'm longing to be off"; and she moved towards the door.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked.

"Yes; very; but if you'll promise not to do it again I'll try to forget. If you transgress further, we shall just have to leave off being friends - that's all."

He took his seat in the motor beside her in silence, and Peter whizzed them away at a good speed.

Hal, enjoying the motion, kept her face averted, and drank in the lovely, fresh country air.

Presently a hand stole firmly over hers.

"You're not to be angry with me any more, little woman. I'm afraid I was rather a cad, but you've got such a fascinating mouth. I'm sorry."

She looked frankly into his eyes.

"Well, don't do it again, then."

He tried to look no less frankly back, but it was as if some forbidden thought flashed across his mind.

"I'll try not," he said, a trifle lamely, and looked away.

He still kept possession of her hand, however, until she resolutely drew it from him.

"Will Brother Dudley be in?" he asked, when they drew up in Bloomsbury.

"No; he won't get bakc much before nine."

He took her latch-key from her, and opened the door, entering himself, instead of taking her proffered hand.

"Which way?" he asked, and she opened the door into their sitting-room.

"I'll show you Brother Dudley's photograph now you're here," she said in a frank voice - "and the very latest of Lorraine Vivian. I wish I had one of Apollo; but I've never asked for one, because I always make a point of pretending not to admire him."

"It's only pretence, then?" he asked, glancing at the others as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

"It can only be. One is bound to admire him at heart. Nature seldom made a fairer gentleman, and it would be mere perversity to deny it, except, as I do, for his good."

Then suddenly she saw he was scarcely listening to her, and looking at the photographs without seeing them, and instinctively she moved away, feeling a little at loss. The next moment he had caught her shoulders, and kissed her again.