"Crying!" repeated Nina incredulously. Then, disarmed by the serene
frankness of the girl, she added: "A blue-stocking is bad enough, but a
grimy one is impossible. _Allons! Vite_!" she insisted, driving Eileen
before her; "the country is demoralising you. Philip, we're dining
early, so please make your arrangements to conform. Come, Eileen; have
you never before seen Philip Selwyn?"
"I am not sure that I ever have," she replied, with a curious little
smile at Selwyn. Nina had her by the hand, but she dragged back like a
mischievously reluctant child hustled bedward:
"Good-bye," she said, stretching out her hand to Selwyn--"good-bye, my
unfortunate fellow fogy! I go, slumpy, besmudged, but happy; I return,
superficially immaculate--but my stockings will still be blue! . . .
Nina, dear, if you don't stop dragging me I'll pick you up in my
arms!--indeed I will--"
There was a laugh, a smothered cry of protest; and Selwyn was the amused
spectator of his sister suddenly seized and lifted into a pair of
vigorous young arms, and carried into the house by this tall, laughing
girl who, an hour before, had lain there among the cushions, frightened,
unconvinced, clinging instinctively to the last gay rags and tatters of
the childhood which she feared were to be stripped from her for ever.
Pages:
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523