“They’ll come back,” he said, absently, his eyes drawn toward the downcast face.
How lovely it was! If they would only all go away, and leave them alone! He had so much to say—so much to ask.
But Lady Bell showed no sign of going; instead, she threw herself down on the grass beside them, and commenced to talk.
Had he enjoyed the pull up? Why had he not driven down with them? She didn’t believe in particular business; and so on.
Jack pulled at his pipe, and returned absent, scarcely civil answers. At last Lady Bell noticed his abstraction, and turned her head away in silence.
Meanwhile Una sat speechless, her face turned toward the river, her whole soul absorbed by his presence. It frightened her, this feeling of absorption. She found herself waiting and listening for every word that dropped from his lips as if her life depended on it. She trembled lest he should touch her.
His manner filled her with an ecstasy of pleasure that was almost pain. How handsome he looked, stretched out at full length, his tanned face turned to the sky, his tawny mustache sweeping his clear cut lips; she felt, rather than knew, that his eyes sought her face, and she dared not turn her eyes toward him, though she longed to do so.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Presently, to the relief of Una, at least, the other boats came back; the third boat was got ready, the hampers put on board, and the ladies seated.