The Shocking Miss Anstey by Robert Neill Read Free Book Online Page B

tight while she pressed herself even tighter, and thought seemed to stop. Even surprise was missing. There was merely the moment, and it seemed inevitable.
    She recovered first. Her head jerked back, and he saw that her eyes had sharpened as she looked keenly down the stair. He swung round also, and then he heard her voice come crisply. She was speaking to the footman, who had been watching from the hall.
    ‘If anyone should call, William, I am not at home. And you may tell Susan to bring my tea.’
    She turned, looked for an instant at Grant, and then led quickly along the landing and through a door that was ajar. He stooped to recover the ship, and then followed her into a room that pleased. It was gracious in cream-and-gold, delicately feminine, yet not to the degree that makes a man feel awkward. It had some satin-seated chairs, a sofa that was wide and comfortable, and two delicately inlaid side-tables. The wine-coloured carpet blended with the walls, and candles behind ivory shades gave a soft and gentle light. There were two good windows, curtained in brocade, and a fireplace between them, warm with a glowing fire. Across the room was another door, also in cream with a gilded handle.
    She was standing with her back to the fire, and for once she did not seem quite sure of herself. He looked into her eyes and thought them puzzled. But there might have been something more, an expression he could not interpret.
    ‘You’re different,’ she said slowly. ‘I’ve told you that before.’
    ‘And what are you? You’re different from all--’
    ‘I know.’ She sounded as if it were obvious and did not interest her. ‘What were you asking me?’
    ‘I asked how old---‘
    ‘You shouldn’t ask that. Nobody ever does.’
    ‘All right. I did say I---‘
    ‘I’m twenty-three. That’s true, by the way.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘The others don’t know.’
    ‘Then I’m even more---‘
    ‘Stop it.’ For an instant she looked petulantly at him. ‘Don’t be so polite to me. Anyone can be that.’
    ‘It’s more or less expected, at a first visit.’
    ‘I don’t expect a man to get hold of me and kiss me like that at a first visit. Not the first minute, anyway.’
    ‘Offended?’
    ‘Don’t be silly. If--if you can do that to me---‘ Again she was looking oddly at him, with the expression he could not interpret, and then suddenly she changed. She flung herself on the sofa, smoothed her dress, and then smiled up at him. ‘I think we’d better be sensible.’
    ‘If we know what that is.’
    ‘Ye-es. What’s that under your arm?’
    ‘Something I brought for you. It’s nothing very much.’
    ‘But how---‘ She stopped short, looking up at him with a sudden doubt in her eyes. ‘You didn’t bring it because you thought you had to?’
    ‘Of course I didn’t.’
    ‘Most men do. They come here because they want something, and they think they’d better start the right way. So they bring me a present. It’s expensive, and---‘
    ‘This isn’t.’
    ‘I hope not.’ She was looking at him with a strange earnestness. ‘Because I asked you to come, and that’s different.
    I wouldn’t take---‘
    ‘Don’t worry. I just thought it might please you. It’s something you asked about.’
    He began to unwind the scarf, with a quick fear that the fall to the floor might have broken the delicate rigging of the model. But all was well. The scarf and the thick soft carpet had saved it, and there was a quick squeal of delight from Anice as he held it out to her.
    ‘But it’s lovely. But what is it? Is it your ship?’
    He pointed happily to the gilded name, and he was still explaining details and answering a stream of questions when there was a discreet tap at the door and a careful pause until she answered. Then the prettiest of parlour-maids came in with a silver tray which had tea things and a decanter. She took it to the side-table and looked inquiringly at Anice, who nodded.
    ‘Yes, Susan, you may pour.’