And from minute to minute he raised his head to
glare across at Gerald, who evidently was unconscious of the presence of
his own party.
When Nina spoke to Eileen, the girl answered briefly but with perfect
composure. Selwyn, too, added a quiet word at intervals, speaking in a
voice that sounded a little tired and strained.
It was that note of fatigue in his voice which aroused Eileen to
effort--the instinctive move to protect--to sustain him. Conscious of
Austin's suppressed but increasing anger at her brother, amazed and
distressed at what Gerald had done--for the boy's very presence there
was an affront to them all--she was still more sensitive to Selwyn's
voice; and in her heart she responded passionately.
Nina looked up, surprised at the sudden transformation in the girl, who
had turned on Boots with a sudden flow of spirits and the gayest of
challenges; and their laughter and badinage became so genuine and so
persistent that, combining with Nina, they fairly swept Austin from his
surly abstraction into their toils; and Selwyn's subdued laugh, if
forced, sounded pleasantly, now, and his drawn face seemed to relax a
little for the time being.
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