Here he was. She couldn't send
him away till after dinner. He must be nourished.
This being so, she had better make the best of it, and do that
with a good grace which anyhow wasn't to be avoided. Besides, he would
be a temporary shelter from Mr. Briggs. She was at least acquainted
with Ferdinand Arundel, and could hear news from him of her mother and
her friends, and such talk would put up a defensive barrier at dinner
between herself and the approaches of the other one. And it was only
for one dinner, and he couldn't eat her.
She therefore prepared herself for friendliness. "I'm to be
fed," she said, ignoring his last remark, "at eight, and you must come
up and be fed too. Sit down and get cool and tell me how everybody
is."
"May I really dine with you? In these travelling things?" he
said, wiping his forehead before sitting down beside her.
She was too lovely to be true, he thought. Just to look at her
for an hour, just to hear her voice, was enough reward for his journey
and his fears.
"Of course. I suppose you've left your fly in the village, and
will be going on from Mezzago by the night train."
"Or stay in Mezzago in an hotel and go on to-morrow. But tell
me," he said, gazing at the adorable profile, "about yourself. London
has been extraordinarily dull and empty.
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