"I knew you were here," she said cordially; "and I have any number
of things to talk over with you. There is no talking for me now,
though, with all these people on my hands. Can't you stay on and
dine with us? That will give us an hour to gossip comfortably, and
Captain Frazer is to be the only other guest. I asked him, on the
chance of your appearing. Oh, good afternoon, Colonel Douglas!"
And Weldon found himself swept on out of her radius.
He took refuge beside Mrs. Dent and, from that safe slack-water, he
made a thorough survey of the room. It was the first time he had
been present at one of the Dents' reception days, and he
acknowledged himself surprised at what he saw. Here and there an
acquaintance nodded to him; but, for the most part, he was a
stranger to the guests, save for the dozen whom he knew well by
sight and better still by reputation. Moreover, while he watched
her, he began to wonder whether he were not something of a stranger
to Ethel herself. This stately girl was not the comrade with whom he
had tramped the deck of the Dunottar Castle, nor yet the friend of
his early days in Cape Town, nor yet again the blithe companion of
his last tedious hours of convalescence.
Pages:
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162