The sudden malice
in her eyes was answered by the shock in his; his voice was disturbed
when he spoke, though his words were commonplace:
"It's a pleasant enough house."
Then he looked at his watch, opening the case under the shelter of his
hand--but she saw the photograph in the lid.
"Is that a good picture of Alice?" she said with an effort.
"Yes," he answered, hastily snapping the lid shut. "Helena, what are
we going to have for dinner?"
"Oh, nothing very much, I'm afraid," she told him ruefully. Then
rising, she held out her hand. "Come! We mustn't quarrel again. I
don't know why we always squabble!"
"I'm sure I don't want to," he said. "Nelly, you are prettier every
time I see you." He put a finger into one of the loose curls in the
nape of her neck, and she looked up at him, her lip trembling.
"And do you love me?"
"Of course I do!" he declared, slipping his arm around her waist. And
they walked thus between the box borders, back to the house.
CHAPTER VII
But she would not go to the Kings' to tea. "No," she said, her eyes
crinkling with fun, "I'm not going; but you've got to; you promised!
And remember, I have 'a very severe headache.'"
He laughed, with a droll look, and then explained that at home he was
never allowed to tell tarradiddles. "Alice has a perfect mania about
truth," he said ruefully; "it is sometimes very inconvenient.
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