"You are tired," said Fletcher's voice beside her. "Would you like to
go?"
She looked up at him. His eyes were searching hers, and swiftly she
realized that this discovery that she had made must be kept a secret. If
Hill began to suspect, he would very quickly ferret out the truth, and
the man would be ruined. She knew Hill's stern justice. He would act
instantly and without mercy if he knew the truth.
She braced herself with a great effort to baffle him. "No, oh, no!" she
said. "I am really not tired. Do play! I should love to see you play."
He looked sardonic. "Love to see me beaten!" he said.
She put out a quick hand. "Of course not! You will beat him easily. You
are always on the top. Do try!"
He smiled a little, and turned from her. She saw him approach Warden and
tap him on the shoulder.
Warden wheeled sharply, so sharply that the drink he held splashed over
the edge of the glass. The excitement in the room was dying down. She
watched the two men with an odd breathlessness, and in a moment she
realized that everyone else present was watching them also.
Then they both turned towards her, and through a great singing that
suddenly arose in her ears she heard Adela whisper excitedly, "My dear,
he is actually going to introduce that amazing person to us!"
She sat up with a stiff movement, feeling cold, inanimate, strangely
impotent, and in a moment he was standing before her with Fletcher, and
she heard the latter introduce her as his "affianced wife.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78