"In armour!" she protested, trying to speak lightly, but avoiding his eyes.
"Is that anything new?" he said. "You are always instantly in armour when my lightest touch falls on you. Why?"
He lifted her drooping head until it rested against his arm.
"Isn't it anything at all to you when I kiss you?" he asked unsteadily.
She did not answer.
"Isn't it, Jacqueline?"
But she only closed her eyes, and her lips remained coldly unresponsive to his.
After a moment he said: "Can't you care for me at all – in this way? Answer me!"
"I – care for you."
"This way?"
Over her closed lids a tremor passed, scarcely perceptible.
"Don't you know how – how deeply I – care for you?" he managed to say, feeling prudence and discretion violently tugging at their cables. "Don't you know it, Jacqueline?"
"Yes. I know you – care for me."
"Good God!" he said, trying to choke back the very words he uttered. "Can't you respond – when you know I find you so adorable! When – when you must know that I love you! Isn't there anything in you to respond?"
"I – care for you. If I did not, could I endure – what you do?"
A sort of blind passion seized and possessed him; he kissed again and again the fragrant, unresponsive lips. Presently she lifted her head, loosened his clasp at her waist, stepped clear of the circle of his arms.
"You see," she managed to say calmly, "that I do care for you. So – may I go now?"
He opened the door for her and they moved slowly out into the hall.
"You do not show that you care very much, Jacqueline."
"How can a girl show it more honestly? Could you tell me?"
"I have never stirred you to any tenderness – never!"
She moved beside him with head lowered, hands resting on her plated hips, the bright hair in disorder across her cheeks. Presently she said in a low voice:
"I wish you could see into my heart."
"I wish I could! And I wish you could see into mine. That would settle it one way or another!"
"No," she said, "because I can see into your heart. And it settles nothing for me – except that I would like to – remain."
"Remain? Where?"
"There – in your heart."
He strove to speak coolly: "Then you can see into it?"
"Yes."
"And you know that you are there alone?"
"Yes – I think so."
"And now that you have looked into it and know what is there, do you care to remain in the heart of – of such a man as I am?"
"Yes. What you are I – forgive."
An outburst of merriment came from the library, and several figures clad in the finery of the early nineteenth century came bustling out into the hall.
Evidently his guests had rifled the chests and trunks in the attic and had attired themselves to their heart's content. At sight of Desboro approaching accompanied by a slim figure in complete armour, they set up a shout of apprehension and then cheer after cheer rang through the hallway.
"Do you know," cried Betty Barkley, "you are the most darling thing in armour that ever happened! I want to get into some steel trousers like yours immediately! Are there any in the armoury that will fit me, Jim?"
"Did you discover her?" demanded Reggie Ledyard, aghast.
"Not within the time limit, old chap," said Desboro, pretending deep chagrin.
"Then you don't have to marry him, do you, Miss Nevers?" exclaimed Cairns, gleefully.
"I don't have to marry anybody, Mr. Cairns. And isn't it humiliating?" she returned, laughingly, edging her way toward the stairs amid the noisy and admiring group surrounding her.
"No! No!" cried Katharine Frere. "You can't escape! You are too lovely that way, and you certainly must come to lunch in your armour!"
"I'd perish!" protested Jacqueline. "No Christian martyr was ever more absolutely cooked than am I in this suit of mail."
Helsa Steyr started for her, but Jacqueline sprang to the stairs and ran up, pursued by Helsa and Betty.
"Isn't she the cunningest, sweetest thing!" sighed Athalie Vannis, looking after her. "I'm simply and sentimentally mad over her. Why didn't you have brains enough to discover her, Jim, and make her marry you?"
"I'd have knocked 'em out if he had had enough brains for that," muttered Ledyard. "But the horrible thing is that I haven't any brains, either, and Miss Nevers has nothing but!"
"A girl like that marries diplomats and dukes, and discoverers and artists and things," commented Betty. "You're just a good-looking simp, Reggie. So is Jim."
Ledyard retorted wrathfully; Desboro, who had been summoned to the telephone, glanced at Aunt Hannah as he walked away, and was rather disturbed at the malice in the old lady's menacing smile.
But what Daisy Hammerton said to him over the telephone disturbed him still more.
"Jim! Elena and Cary Clydesdale are stopping with us. May I bring them to dinner this evening?"
For a moment he was at a loss, then he said, with forced cordiality:
"Why, of course, Daisy. But have you spoken to them about it? I've an idea that they might find my party a bore."
"Oh, no! Elena wished me to ask you to invite them. And Cary was listening."
"Did he care to come?"
"I suppose so."
"What did he say?"
"He grinned. He always does what Elena asks him to do."
"Oh! Then bring them by all means."
"Thank you, Jim."
And that was all; and Desboro, astonished and troubled for a few moments, began to see in the incident not only the dawn of an understanding between Clydesdale and his wife, but something resembling a vindication for himself in this offer to renew a friendship so abruptly terminated. More than that, he saw in it a return of Elena to her senses, and it pleased him so much that when he passed Aunt Hannah in the hall he was almost smiling.
"What pleases you so thoroughly, James – yourself?" she asked grimly.
But he only smiled at her and sauntered on, exchanging friendly body-blows with Reggie Ledyard as he passed.
"Reggie," said Mrs. Hammerton, with misleading mildness, "come and exercise me for a few moments – there's a dear." And she linked arms with him and began to march up and down the hall vigorously.
"She's very charming, isn't she?" observed Aunt Hannah blandly.
"Who?"
"Miss Nevers."
"She's a dream," said Reggie, with emphasis.
"Such a thoroughbred air," commented the old lady.
"Rather!"
"And yet – she's only a shop-keeper."
"Eh?"
"Didn't you know that Miss Nevers keeps an antique shop?"
"What of it?" he said, turning red. "I peddle stocks. My grandfather made snuff. What do I care what Miss Nevers does?"
"Of course. Only – would you marry her?"
"Huh! Like a shot! But I see her letting me! Once I was even ass enough to think I could kiss her, but it seems she won't even stand for that! And Herrendene makes me sick – the old owl – sneaking off with her whenever he can get the chance! They all make me sick!" he added, lighting a cigarette. "I wish to goodness I had a teaspoonful of intellect, and I'd give 'em a run for her. Because I have the looks, if I do say it," he added, modestly.
"Looks never counted seriously with a woman yet," said Mrs. Hammerton maliciously. "Also, I've seen better looking coachmen than you."
"Thanks. What are you going to do with her anyway?"
"I don't have to do anything. She'll do whatever is necessary."
"That's right, too. Lord, but she'll cut a swathe! Even that dissipated creature Cairns sits up and takes notice. I should think Desboro would, too – more than he does."
"I understand there's a girl in blue, somewhere," observed Mrs. Hammerton.
"That's a different kind of girl," said the young man, with contempt, and quite oblivious to his own naïve self-revelation. Mrs. Hammerton shrugged her trim shoulders.
"Also," he said, "there is Elena Clydesdale – speaking of scandal and James Desboro in the same breath."
"Do you believe that story?"
"Yes. But that sort of affair never counts seriously with a man who wants to marry."
"Really? How charming! But perhaps it might count against him with the girl he wants to marry. Young girls are sometimes fastidious, you know."
"They never hear about such things until somebody tells 'em, after they're married. Then it's rather too late to throw any pre-nuptial fits," he added, with a grin.
"Reginald," said Mrs. Hammerton, "day by day I am humbly learning how to appreciate the innate delicacy, chivalry, and honourable sentiments of your sex. You yourself are a wonderful example. For instance, when rumour couples Elena Clydesdale's name with James Desboro's, does it occur to you to question the scandal? No; you take it for granted, and very kindly explain to me how easily Mrs. Clydesdale can be thrown over if her alleged lover decides he'd like to marry somebody."
"That's what's done," he said sulkily. "When a man – "
"You don't have to tell me!" she fairly hissed, turning on him so suddenly that he almost fell backward. "Don't you think I know what is the code among your sort – among the species of men you find sympathetic? You and Jack Cairns and James Desboro – and Cary Clydesdale, too? Let him reproach himself if his wife misbehaves! And I don't blame her if she does, and I don't believe she does! Do you hear me, you yellow-haired, blue-eyed little beast?"
Ledyard stood open-mouthed, red to the roots of his blond hair, and the tiny, baleful black eyes of Mrs. Hammerton seemed to hypnotise him.
"You're all alike," she said with withering contempt. "Real men are out in the world, doing things, not crawling around over the carpet under foot, or sitting in clubs, or dancing with a pack of women, or idling from polo field to tennis court, from stable to steam-yacht. You've no real blood in you; it's only Scotch and soda gone flat. You've the passions of overfed lap dogs with atrophied appetites. There's not a real man here – except Captain Herrendene – and he's going back to his post in a week. You others have no posts. And do you think that men of your sort are fitted to talk about marrying such a girl as Miss Nevers? Let me catch one of you trying it! She's in my charge. But that doesn't count. She'll recognise a real man when she sees one, and glittering counterfeits won't attract her."
"Great heavens!" faltered Reggie. "What a horrible lambasting! I – I've heard you could do it; but this is going some – really, you know, it's going some! And I'm not all those things that you say, either!" he added, in naïve resentment. "I may be no good, but I'm not as rotten as all that."
He stood with lips pursed up into a half-angry, half-injured pout, like a big, blond, blue-eyed yokel facing school-room punishment.
Mrs. Hammerton's harsh face relaxed; and finally a smile wrinkled her eyes.
"I suppose men can't help being what they are – a mixture of precocious child and trained beast. The best of 'em have both of these in 'em. And you are far from the best. Reggie, come here to me!"
He came, after a moment's hesitation, doubtfully.
"Lord!" she said. "How we cherish the worst of you! I sometimes think we don't know enough to appreciate the best. Otherwise, perhaps they'd give us more of their society. But, generally, all we draw is your sort; and we cast our nets in vain into the real world – where Captain Herrendene is going on Monday. Reggie, dear?"
"What?" he said suspiciously.
"Was I severe with you and your friends?"
"Great heavens! There isn't another woman I'd take such a drubbing from!"
"But you do take it," she said, with one of her rare and generous smiles which few people ever saw, and of which few could believe her facially capable.
And she slipped her arm through his and led him slowly toward the library where already Farris was announcing luncheon.
"By heck!" he repeated later, in the billiard room, to a group of interested listeners. "Aunt Hannah is all that they say she is. She suddenly let out into me, and I give y'm'word she had me over the ropes in one punch – tellin' me what beasts men are – and how we're not fit to associate with nice girls – no b'jinks – nor fit to marry 'em, either."
Cairns laughed unfeelingly.
"Oh, you can laugh!" muttered Ledyard. "But to be lit into that way hurts a man's self-respect. You'd better be careful or you'll be in for a dose of Aunt Hannah, too. She evidently has no use for any of us – barrin' the Captain, perhaps."
That gentleman smiled and picked up his hockey stick.
"There's enough ice left – if you don't mind a wetting," he said. "Shall we start?"
Desboro rose, saying carelessly: "The Hammertons and Clydesdales are coming over. I'll have to wait for them."
Bertie Barkley turned his hard little smooth-shaven face toward him.
"Where are the Clydesdales?"
"I believe they're stopping with the Hammertons for a week or two – I really don't know. You can ask them, as they'll be here to dinner."
Cairns laid aside a cue with which he had been punching pool-balls; Van Alstyne unhooked his skate-bag, and the others followed his example in silence. Nobody said anything further about the Clydesdales to Desboro.
Out in the hall a gay group of young girls in their skating skirts were gathering, among them Jacqueline, now under the spell of happiness in their companionship.
Truly, even in these few days, the "warm sunlight of approval" had done wonders for her. She had blossomed out deliriously and exquisitely in her half-shy friendships with these young girls, responding diffidently at first to their overtures, then frankly and with a charming self-possession based on the confidence that she was really quite all right if everybody only thought so.
Everybody seemed to think so; Athalie Vannis's friendship for her verged on the sentimental, for the young girl was enraptured at the idea that Jacqueline actually earned her own living. Marie Ledyard lazily admired and envied her slight but exceedingly fashionable figure; Helsa Steyr passionately adored her; Katharine Frere was profoundly impressed by her intellectual attainments; Betty Barkley saw in her a social success, with Aunt Hannah to pilot her – that is, every opportunity for wealth or position, or even both, through the marriage to which, Betty cheerfully conceded, her beauty entitled her.
So everybody of her own sex was exceedingly nice to her; and the men already were only too anxious to be. And what more could a young girl want?
As the jolly party started out across the snow, in random and chattering groups made up by hazard, Jacqueline turned from Captain Herrendene, with whom she found herself walking, and looked back at Desboro, who had remained standing bareheaded on the steps.
"Aren't you coming?" she called out to him, in her clear young voice.
He shook his head, smiling.
"Please excuse me a moment," she murmured to Herrendene, and ran back along the middle drive. Desboro started forward to meet her at the same moment, and they met under the dripping spruces.
"Why aren't you coming with us?" she asked.
"I can't very well. I have to wait here for some people who might arrive early."
"You are going to remain here all alone?"
"Yes, until they come. You see they are dining here, and I can't let them arrive and find the house empty."
"Do you want me to stay with you? Mrs. Hammerton is in her room, and it would be perfectly proper."
He said, reddening with surprise and pleasure: "It's very sweet of you. I – had no idea you'd offer to do such a thing – "
"Why shouldn't I? Besides, I'd rather be where you are than anywhere else."
"With me, Jacqueline?"
"Are you really surprised to hear me admit it?"
"A little."
"Why, if you please?"
"Because you never before have been demonstrative, even in speech."
She blushed: "Not as demonstrative as you are. But you know that I might learn to be."
He looked at her curiously, but with more or less self-control.
"Do you really care for me that way, Jacqueline?"
"I know of no way in which I don't care for you," she said quickly.
"Does your caring for me amount to – love?" he asked deliberately.
"I – think so – yes."
The emotion in his face was now palely reflected in hers; their voices were no longer quite steady under the sudden strain of self-repression.
"Say it, Jacqueline, if it is true," he whispered. His face was tense and white, but not as pale as hers. "Say it!" he whispered again.
"I can't – in words. But it is true – what you asked me."
"That you love me?"
"Yes. I thought you knew it long ago."
They stood very still, facing each other, breathing more rapidly. Her fate was upon her, and she knew it.
Captain Herrendene, who had waited, watched them for a moment more, then, lighting a cigarette, sauntered on carelessly, swinging his hockey-stick in circles.
Desboro said in a low, distinct voice, and without a tremor: "I am more in love with you than ever, Jacqueline. But that is as much as I shall ever say to you – nothing more than that."
"I know it."
"Yes, I know you do. Shall I leave you in peace? It can still be done. Or – shall I tell you again that I love you?"
"Yes – if you wish, tell me – that."
"Is love enough for you, Jacqueline?"
"Ask yourself, Jim. With what you give I must be content – or starve."
"Do you realise – what it means for us?" He could scarcely speak now.
"Yes – I know." She turned and looked back. Herrendene was now a long way off, walking slowly and alone. Then she turned once more to Desboro, absently, as though absorbed in her own reflections. Herrendene had asked her to marry him that morning. She was thinking of it now.
Then, in her remote gaze the brief dream faded, her eyes cleared, and she looked up at the silent man beside her.
"Shall I remain here with you?" she asked.
He made an effort to speak, but his voice was no longer under command. She waited, watching him; then they both turned and slowly entered the house together. Her hand had fallen into his, and when they reached the library he lifted it to his lips and noticed that her fingers were trembling. He laid his other hand over them, as though to quiet the tremor; and looked into her face and saw how colourless it had become.
"My darling!" But the time had not yet come when he could tolerate his own words; contempt for them choked him for a moment, and he only took her into his arms in silence.
She strove to think, to speak, to master her emotion; but for a moment his mounting passion subdued her and she remained silent, quivering in his embrace.
Then, with an effort, she found her voice and loosened his arms.
"Listen," she whispered. "You must listen. I know what you are – how you love me. But you are wrong! If I could only make you see it! If you would not think me selfish, self-seeking – believe unworthy motives of me – "
"What do you mean?" he asked, suddenly chilled.
"I mean that I am worth more to you than – than to be – what you wish me to be to you. You won't misunderstand, will you? I am not bargaining, not begging, not trading. I love you! I couldn't bargain; I could only take your terms – or leave them. And I have not decided. But – may I say something – for your sake more than for my own?"
"Yes," he said, coolly.
"Then – for your sake – far more than for mine – if you do really love me – make more of me than you have thought of doing! I know I shall be worth it to you. Could you consider it?"
After a terrible silence, he said: "I can – get out of your life – dog that I am! I can leave you in peace. And that is all."
"If that is all you can do – don't leave me – in peace. I – I will take the chances of remaining – honest – "
The hint of fear in her eyes and in her voice startled him.
"There is a martyrdom," she said, "which I might not be able to endure forever. I don't know. I shall never love another man. And all my life I have wanted love. It is here; and I may not be brave enough to deny it and live my life out in ignorance of it. But, Jim, if you only could understand – if you only knew what I can be to you – to the world for your sake – what I can become merely because I love you – what I am capable of for the sake of your pride in – in me – and – " She turned very white. "Because it is better for your sake, Jim. I am not thinking of myself, and how wonderful it would be for me – truly I am not. Don't you believe me? Only – there is so much to me – I am really so much of a woman – that it would begin to trouble you if ever I became anything – anything less than your – wife. And you would feel sorry for me – and I couldn't truthfully console you because all the while I'd know in my heart what you had thrown away that might have belonged to us both."
"Your life?" he said, with dry lips.
"Oh, Jim! I mean more than your life and mine! For our lives – yours and mine – would not be all you would throw away and deny. Before we die we would want children. Ought I not to say it?" She turned away, blind with tears, and dropped onto the sofa. "I'm wondering if I'm in my right mind," she sobbed, "for yesterday I did not even dare think of these things I am saying to you now! But – somehow – even while Captain Herrendene was speaking – it all flashed into my mind. I don't know how I knew it, but I suddenly understood that you belonged to me – just as you are, Jim – all the good, all the evil in you – everything – even your intentions toward me – how you may deal with me – all, all belonged to me! And so I went back to you, to help you. And now I have said this thing – for your sake alone, not for my own – only so that in years to come you may not have me on your conscience. For if you do not marry me – and I let myself really love you – you will wish that the beginning was to be begun again, and that we had loved each other – otherwise."
He came over and stood looking down at her for a moment. His lips were twitching.
"Would you marry me now," he managed to say, "now, after you know what a contemptible cad I am?"
"You are only a man. I love you, Jim. I will marry you – if you'll let me – "
Suddenly she covered her eyes with her hands. He seated himself beside her, sick with self-contempt, dumb, not daring to touch her where she crouched, trembling in every limb.
For a long while they remained so, in utter silence; then the doorbell startled them. Jacqueline fled to her room; Desboro composed himself with a desperate effort and went out into the hall.
He welcomed his guests on the steps when Farris opened the door, outwardly master of himself once more.
"We came over early, Jim," explained Daisy, "because Uncle John is giving a dinner and father and mother need the car. Do you mind?"
He laughed and shook hands with her and Elena, who looked intently and unsmilingly into his face, and then let her expressionless glance linger for a moment on her husband, who was holding out a huge hand to Desboro.
"I'm glad to see you, Clydesdale," said Desboro pleasantly, and took that bulky gentleman's outstretched hand, who mumbled something incoherent; but the fixed grin remained. And that was the discomforting – yes, the dismaying – characteristic of the man – his grin never seemed to be affected by his emotions.
Mrs. Quant bobbed away upstairs, piloting Daisy and Elena. Clydesdale followed Desboro to the library – the same room where he had discovered his wife that evening, and had learned in what esteem she held the law that bound her to him. Both men thought of it now – could not avoid remembering it. Also, by accident, they were seated very nearly as they had been seated that night, Clydesdale filling the armchair with his massive figure, Desboro sitting on the edge of the table, one foot resting on the floor.
Farris brought whiskey; both men shook their heads.
"Will you have a cigar, Clydesdale?" asked the younger man.
"Thanks."
They smoked in silence for a few moments, then:
"I'm glad you came," said Desboro simply.
"Yes. Men don't usually raise that sort of hell with each other unless a woman starts it."
"Don't talk that way about your wife," said Desboro sharply.
"See here, young man, I have no illusions concerning my wife. What happened here was her doing, not yours. I knew it at the time – if I didn't admit it. You behaved well – and you've behaved well ever since – only it hurt me too much to tell you so before to-day."
"That's all right, Clydesdale – "
"Yes, it is going to be all right now, I guess." A curious expression flitted across his red features, softening the grin for a moment. "I always liked you, Desboro; and Elena and I were staying with the Hammertons, so she told that Daisy girl to ask you to invite us. That's all there is to it."
"Good business!" said Desboro, smiling. "I'm glad it's all clear between us."
"Yes, it's clear sailing now, I guess." Again the curiously softening expression made his heavy red features almost attractive, and he remained silent for a while, occupied with thoughts that seemed to be pleasant ones.
Then, abruptly emerging from his revery, he grinned at Desboro:
"So Mrs. Hammerton has our pretty friend Miss Nevers in tow," he said. "Fine girl, Desboro. She's been at my collection, you know, fixing it up for the hammer."
"So you are really going to sell?" inquired Desboro.
"I don't know. I was going to. But I'm taking a new interest in my hobby since – " he reddened, then added very simply, "since Elena and I have been getting on better together."
"Sure," nodded Desboro, gravely understanding him.
"Yes – it's about like that, Desboro. Things were rotten bad up to that night. And afterward, too, for a while. They're clearing up a little better, I think. We're going to get on together, I believe. I don't know much about women; never liked 'em much – except Elena. It's funny about Miss Nevers, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Mrs. Hammerton's being so crazy about her. She's a good girl, and a pretty one. Elena is wild to meet her."
"Didn't your wife ever meet her at your house?" asked Desboro dryly.
"When she was there appraising my jim-cracks? No. Elena has no use for my gallery or anybody who goes into it. Besides, until this morning she didn't even know that Miss Nevers was the same expert you employed. Now she wants to meet her."
Desboro slowly raised his eyes and looked at Clydesdale. The unvaried grin baffled him, and presently he glanced elsewhere.
Clydesdale, smoking, slowly crossed one ponderous leg over the other. Desboro continued to gaze out of the window. Neither spoke again until Daisy Hammerton came in with Elena. If the young wife remembered the somewhat lurid circumstances of her last appearance in that room, her animated and smiling face betrayed no indication of embarrassment.
"When is that gay company of yours going to return, Jim?" she demanded. "I am devoured by curiosity to meet this beautiful Miss Nevers. Fancy her coming to my house half a dozen times this winter and I never suspecting that my husband's porcelain gallery concealed such a combination of genius and beauty! I could have bitten somebody's head off in vexation," she rattled on, "when I found out who she was. So I made Daisy ask you to invite us to meet her. Is she so unusually wonderful, Jim?"
"I believe so," he said drily.
"They say every man who meets her falls in love with her immediately – and that most of the women do, too," appealing to Daisy, who nodded smiling corroboration.
"She is very lovely and very clever, Elena. I think I never saw anything more charming than that rainbow dance she did for us last night in Chinese costume," turning to Desboro, "'The Rainbow Skirt,' I think it is called?"
"A dance some centuries old," said Desboro, and let his careless glance rest on Elena for a moment.
"She looked," said Daisy, "like some exquisite Chinese figure made of rose-quartz, crystal and green jade."
"Jade?" said Clydesdale, immediately interested. "That girl knows jades, I can tell you. By gad! The first thing she did when she walked into my gallery was to saw into a few glass ones with a file; and good-night to about a thousand dollars in Japanese phony!"
"That was pleasant," said Desboro, laughing.
"Wasn't it! And my rose-quartz Fêng-huang! The Chia-Ching period of the Ming dynasty! Do you get me, Desboro? It was Jap!"
"Really?"
Clydesdale brought down his huge fist with a thump on the table:
"I wouldn't believe it! I told Miss Nevers she didn't know her business! I asked her to consider the fact that the crystallisation was rhombohedral, the prisms six-sided, hardness 7, specific gravity 2.6, no trace of cleavage, immune to the three acids or the blow-pipe alone, and reacted with soda in the flame. I thought I knew it all, you see. First she called my attention to the colour. 'Sure,' I said, 'it's a little faded; but rose-quartz fades when exposed to light!' 'Yes,' said she, 'but moisture restores it.' So we tried it. Nix doing! Only a faint rusty stain becoming visible and infecting that delicious rose colour. 'Help!' said I. 'What the devil is it?' 'Jap funny business,' said she. 'Your rose-quartz phoenix of the Ming dynasty is common yellow crystal carved in Japan and dyed that beautiful rose tint with something, the composition of which my chemist is investigating!' Wasn't it horrible, Desboro?"
Daisy's brown eyes were very wide open, and she exclaimed softly:
"What a beautiful knowledge she has of a beautiful profession!" And to Desboro: "Can you imagine anything in the world more fascinating than to use such knowledge? And how in the world did she acquire it? She is so very young to know so much!"
"Her father began her training as a child," said Desboro. There was a slight burning sensation in his face, and a hotter pride within him. After a second or two he felt Elena's gaze; but did not choose to encounter it at the moment, and was turning to speak to Daisy Hammerton when Jacqueline entered the library.
Clydesdale lumbered to his feet and tramped over to shake hands with her; Daisy greeted her cordially; she and Elena were presented, and stood smiling at each other for a second's silence. Then Mrs. Clydesdale moved a single step forward, and Jacqueline crossed to her and offered her hand, looking straight into her eyes so frankly and intently that Elena's colour rose and for once in her life her tongue remained silent.
"Your husband and I are already business acquaintances," said Jacqueline. "I know your very beautiful gallery, too, and have had the privilege of identifying and classifying many of the jades and porcelains."