But the calm face of Charlotte Welles continued beside Anne until she reached her own door. After all, the "capitalist" did enjoy his viciously accumulated millions, and Charlotte Welles' peace was real to herself.
The typewriter was covered now, and Roger was reading before the fire. As Anne came in he laid his book aside and looked up.
"Well, what's the news?"
"Nothing special. Belle's going on from France to the Far East. She seems to be having a wonderful time."
"Trust Belle."
"Oh, I don't know. Belle works hard for her money. You wouldn't like to trot a nervous millionaire around the world, would you?"
"Not on your life." Roger was about to add that neither would he like, if he were a nervous millionaire, being trotted about the world by Belle. But he never, if he could avoid it, referred in any way to the Mitchells. He always asked after them when Anne had been there, but he never went himself. He felt at times that Anne understood his feeling, and he wished he could have been more honest with her about it. But at the first hint of criticism Anne flared to their defense; and often, when the Mitchells themselves had been far from his intention, Anne had interpreted his scorn of intellectual narrowness as direct criticism of her people.
The subject of Belle dropped, but Roger did not take his book again. He felt Anne beside him, aloof in some interest acquired at the Mitchell flat, something she would guard from him if he tried to share it. Roger felt a little sentimental and lonely, too, as he searched about among the topics of common interest for a meeting ground with Anne. But this meeting ground had grown narrower and narrower and what remained had dangerous spots, slippery places from which they were sure to slide from generalities to personal recrimination—if Anne let it get that far. Usually, just as they were about to plunge into an anger that Roger often felt would clear the atmosphere, Anne would retreat behind the patient calm that closed him from her as effectually as a barred door.
The silence grew until Roger felt that he must break it at any price, when unexpectedly Anne sighed. She had been wandering through the lovely places of Europe.
"Tired?"