A Star Looks Down Part 25

It was large and square, with rows of large windows and a wide door reached by double steps.

The profess or drew up, got out and came round to open her door with an economy of movement which drew her admiration.

So many men fussed around, kicking tyres and trying door handles, going back to peer inside; he was one of the few men she had met who just got into a car and drove away, and when he arrived, he got out again without loss of time and no fuss at all.

He was an excellent driver, but he was excellent at everything.

She dragged her thoughts back to the present and looked about her.

"Well?

' asked her companion with a touch of impatience.

"It's beautiful," she told him, and meant it.

"It looks so solid and safe and although it's large it looks like a home.

' She had forgotten him for a moment.

"In the winter, with lights in all the windows and children running about.

' She stopped, feeling silly.

"I'm sorry, I was just daydreaming.

' He took her arm.

"I do the same thing myself," he a.s.sured her cheerfully.

"Come inside.

' There was an elderly man to open the door for them, and he reminded her of someone.

"This is Silver," said the profess or, "Mrs.

Silver's brother.

He married a Dutch girl and settled down here--he andRia run the place for me.

I don't know what I should do without them.

' Silver smiled benignly, acknowledged Beth's greeting with a dignified inclination of his balding head and ushered them into the hall, where they were instantly set upon by the two dogs.

Gem and Mini, uttering little barks of pleasure while they allowed Bern to rub their ears and stroke their well-groomed coats before accompanying them across the hall, a roomy place, carpeted in crimson and housing a selection of fine antique furniture under a ma.s.sive crystal chandelier, to a pair of doors which Silver flung open with something of a flourish, to reveal a room of great magnificence, furnished in muted colours which served to highlight the rose velvet curtains draping the floor-length windows and with an immense hooded fireplace with a tiled surround.

The walls were hung with painted leather and the carpet on the parquet floor was an enormous Aubusson reflecting the rose colour of the curtains; its furniture was a cunning mixture of comfort and antiques.

"Oh," said Beth, 'how very grand--I mean, I didn't expect it, you know.

I thought you would have a nice house, because the houses in England are quite beautiful--but this house is different.

' "Old.

' The profess or spoke briefly.

"It's been in the family for a very long time, and of course we don't see anything very unusual about it.

I was born here and I've lived here, on and off, all my life.

It's home to me.

' She blinked her pansy eyes at him.

"Oh, I know--don't think I don't like it, I think it's absolutely super--what I meant was that you don't look like a person who lives so grandly.

' She caught his eyes and smiled doubtfully.

"Have I made you angry?

I explained clumsily.

' He burst out laughing.

"Why should I be angry, dear girl?

That's the very last feeling you engender in me.

' He turned his head as the door opened and a tall, thin woman came in.

"Ah, Ria, there you are.

Beth, this is Silver's wife, Ria.

She will take you upstairs.

I'll be here when you come down.

' She followed the housekeeper up the carved oak staircase which opened out on to a long gallery andRia opened one of the doors in it and smilingly invited her to enter.

The room was large too, probably all the rooms were, thought Beth, going to look out of the window which looked out on to a well-tended garden of some size, glowing with spring flowers and thickly fringed by trees.

The two dogs ran across the gra.s.s as she looked, and there was a tabby cat curled up on a garden seat.

She sighed unconsciously and took a look at herself in the great oval mirror above the bow-fronted table and in one corner of the room, and, dissatisfied with what she saw, pinned her hair back even more severely and resumed her inspection of the room.

It was furnished daintily with a canopied bed, a tall-boy of rosewood, some comfortable chairs and a table or two, and the curtains and hangings were a pleasing combination of pale silks and chintz.

There was a very modern bathroom too, concealed behind a little door in one wall, and yet another door led back into the gallery.

Beth picked up her handbag and went downstairs, walking slowly, trailing a hand on the polished rail as she went.

The profess or was where she had left him, contemplating the garden.

He turned to look at her as she went in.

"You've been at your hair again," he said at once.

"Why do you drag it back so cruelly?

Such lovely hair too.

' She looked at him helplessly.

"T.

' she began, not knowing in the least what she was going to say.

She had armed herself against his charm, or so she had thought.

She had determined to forget the regrettable episode on the stairs, she had made up her mind to get through the next week or so without allowing herself the luxury of thinking of him in any way but as someone she liked and wasn't likely to meet again, and here she was, within ten minutes of being in his house, tongue tied.

If only he wouldn't be so kind!

She had no wish to be pitied; it was bad enough that he had guessed her feelings for him before she had discovered them for herself.

She frowned quite fiercely and looked away from him.

"Did anyone tell you that your face betrays every thought in that head of yours?

' he wanted to know, and crossed the room.

"Or is it that I can read them so well?

' "I expect," said Beth carefully, 'that you get very clever at that being a surgeon.

' "I'm a man as well," he reminded her, and to make that quite clear, bent to kiss her.

She kissed him back; as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb, and just for a minute he held her close, looking down into her face.

"Why, I do believe you've got rid of the bees," he declared softly.

"Not really--I--I just got carried away.

' It was ridiculous how she could say such things to him and feel no awkwardness at all; it was like talking to herself and far more satisfactory.

"It's a funny thing," she went on thoughtfully, "I should feel awful talking to you like this, shouldn't I, and I don't.

I think I have no pride after all.

' He loosed her and took her arm and started walking towards the door.

"Oh, but you have: "Trust thou thy love; if she be proud, is she not sweet?"

That's your Rusk in describing you to a T. ' Beth had the sensation of running downhill very fast.

She didn't look at him.

"I don't understand.

' "You are very sweet, Beth--you're proud too.

' He opened the door.

"Shall we look round the garden before we have lunch?

' It was silly to feel so disappointed, for what in heaven's name had she expected him to say?

That was the worst of daydreaming, it made one foolish.

She swallowed her mortified feelings and said: "I should like that very much," and stepped out into the sunshine with him.

The gardens were lovely; they wandered up and down the paths, stopping to admire and examine and discuss the magnificent show of spring flowers.

Beth was surprised when her companion admitted to a liking for pottering amongst his flower beds.

"It's restful," he explained, 'and when I want to have a quiet think I do it better out of doors.

' "Oh--you don't look that kind of man at all.

' He stopped to look at her.

"No?

What kind of man do you think I am, Beth?