按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to tell you； you dear 。。。。 I had to thank you。。。〃
In her dark travelling dress and hat； so discreetly conspicuous；
so negligent and so studied； with a veil masking her paint； and
gloves hiding her rings； she looked younger； simpler； more
natural than he had ever seen her。 Poor Ellie such a good
fellow； after all！
〃To thank me？ For what？ For being so happy here？〃 he laughed；
taking her hands。
She looked at him； laughed back； and flung her arms about his
neck。
〃For helping me to be so happy elsewhereyou and Susy； you two
blessed darlings！〃 she cried； with a kiss on his cheek。
Their eyes met for a second； then her arms slipped slowly
downward； dropping to her sides。 Lansing sat before her like a
stone。
〃Oh；〃 she gasped； 〃why do you stare so？ Didn't you know 。。。？〃
They heard Strefford's shrill voice on the stairs。 〃Ellie；
where the deuce are you？ Susy's in the gondola。 You'll miss
the train！〃
Lansing stood up and caught Mrs。 Vanderlyn by the wrist。 〃What
do you mean？ What are you talking about？〃
〃Oh； nothing 。。。 But you were both such bricks about the
letters 。。。。 And when Nelson was here； too 。。。。 Nick； don't
hurt my wrist so！ I must run！〃
He dropped her hand and stood motionless； staring after her and
listening to the click of her high heels as she fled across the
room and along the echoing corridor。
When he turned back to the table he noticed that a small morocco
case had fallen among his papers。 In falling it had opened； and
before him； on the pale velvet lining； lay a scarf…pin set with
a perfect pearl。 He picked the box up； and was about to hasten
after Mrs。 Vanderlynit was so like her to shed jewels on her
path！when he noticed his own initials on the cover。
He dropped the box as if it had been a hot coal； and sat for a
long while gazing at the gold N。 L。； which seemed to have burnt
itself into his flesh。
At last he roused himself and stood up。
X。
WITH a sigh of relief Susy drew the pins from her hat and threw
herself down on the lounge。
The ordeal she had dreaded was over； and Mr。 and Mrs。 Vanderlyn
had safely gone their several ways。 Poor Ellie was not noted
for prudence； and when life smiled on her she was given to
betraying her gratitude too openly； but thanks to Susy's
vigilance （and； no doubt； to Strefford's tacit co…operation）；
the dreaded twenty…four hours were happily over。 Nelson
Vanderlyn had departed without a shadow on his brow； and though
Ellie's； when she came down from bidding Nick good…bye； had
seemed to Susy less serene than usual； she became her normal
self as soon as it was discovered that the red morocco bag with
her jewel…box was missing。 Before it had been discovered in the
depths of the gondola they had reached the station； and there
was just time to thrust her into her 〃sleeper；〃 from which she
was seen to wave an unperturbed farewell to her friends。
〃Well； my dear； we've been it through；〃 Strefford remarked with
a deep breath as the St。 Moritz express rolled away。
〃Oh；〃 Susy sighed in mute complicity； then； as if to cover her
self…betrayal： 〃Poor darling； she does so like what she likes！〃
〃Yeseven if it's a rotten bounder；〃 Strefford agreed。
〃A rotten bounder？ Why； I thought〃
〃That it was still young Davenant？ Lord； nonot for the last
six months。 Didn't she tell you？〃
Susy felt herself redden。 〃I didn't ask her〃
〃Ask her？ You mean you didn't let her！〃
〃I didn't let her。 And I don't let you；〃 Susy added sharply； as
he helped her into the gondola。
〃Oh； all right： I daresay you're right。 It simplifies things；〃
Strefford placidly acquiesced。
She made no answer； and in silence they glided homeward。
Now； in the quiet of her own room； Susy lay and pondered on the
distance she had travelled during the last year。 Strefford had
read her mind with his usual penetration。 It was true that
there had been a time when she would have thought it perfectly
natural that Ellie should tell her everything； that the name of
young Davenant's successor should be confided to her as a matter
of course。 Apparently even Ellie had been obscurely aware of
the change； for after a first attempt to force her confidences
on Susy she had contented herself with vague expressions of
gratitude； allusive smiles and sighs； and the pretty 〃surprise〃
of the sapphire bangle slipped onto her friend's wrist in the
act of their farewell embrace。
The bangle was extremely handsome。 Susy； who had an
auctioneer's eye for values； knew to a fraction the worth of
those deep convex stones alternating with small emeralds and
brilliants。 She was glad to own the bracelet； and enchanted
with the effect it produced on her slim wrist； yet； even while
admiring it； and rejoicing that it was hers； she had already
transmuted it into specie； and reckoned just how far it would go
toward the paying of domestic necessities。 For whatever came to
her now interested her only as something more to be offered up
to Nick。
The door opened and Nick came in。 Dusk had fallen； and she
could not see his face； but something in the jerk of the door…
handle roused her ever…wakeful apprehension。 She hurried toward
him with outstretched wrist。
〃Look； dearestwasn't it too darling of Ellie？〃
She pressed the button of the lamp that lit her dressing…table；
and her husband's face started unfamiliarly out of the twilight。
She slipped off the bracelet and held it up to him。
〃Oh； I can go you one better；〃 he said with a laugh； and pulling
a morocco case from his pocket he flung it down among the scent…
bottles。
Susy opened the case automatically； staring at the pearl because
she was afraid to look again at Nick。
〃Elliegave you this？〃 she asked at length。
〃Yes。 She gave me this。〃 There was a pause。 〃Would you mind
telling me；〃 Lansing continued in the same dead…level tone；
〃exactly for what services we've both been so handsomely paid？〃
〃The pearl is beautiful；〃 Susy murmured； to gain time； while her
head spun round with unimaginable terrors。
〃So are your sapphires； though； on closer examination； my
services would appear to have been valued rather higher than
yours。 Would you be kind enough to tell me just what they
were？〃
Susy threw her head back and looked at him。 〃What on earth are
you talking about； Nick！ Why shouldn't Ellie have given us
these things？ Do you forget that it's like our giving her a
pen…wiper or a button…hook？ What is it you are trying to
suggest？〃
It had cost her a considerable effort to hold his eyes while she
put the questions。 Something had happened between him and
Ellie； that was evident…one of those hideous unforeseeable
blunders that may cause one's cleverest plans to crumble at a
stroke； and again Susy shuddered at the frailty of her bliss。
But her old training stood her in good stead。 There had be