She faced him, her eyes probing and cold. “Well?”
“Oh, Cora,” he said, going to her. He put his arms round her, but she was hard and resisting. She pushed him away.
“Not now, George,” she said impatiently. “All that can come when this business is over.” She glanced up at him. “If you really care for me, you’re not going to let Crispin get away with this. You’ve talked a lot about what you did in the States. I want to see what you can do here. When I’ve seen that, I could be very nice to you.” Her eyes came alive for a moment. “Very nice to you,” she repeated.
This was too important to George for any misunderstanding. He clutched her hands.
“I’ll do anything for you, Cora,” he said, looking wildly into her eyes for her assurance. “If I do that, you will be nice to me? You will be really nice?” He wanted to say, “You’re promising to give yourself to me?” but he hadn’t the courage to come out with it as bluntly as that.
She seemed to know what was in his mind, because she gave him an unmistakable look of promise.
“You won’t he disappointed, George,” she said. “I don’t like men messing me about, but you’re different. You’ll get your reward.”
Later, they went out for a snack. George wanted to take the gun, but Cora wouldn’t let him “Leave it there,” she said, a little sharply. “It won’t run away.”
He walked a step behind her, and glanced from time to time at her with secret pride. The pale blue sweater had shrunk a trifle, but it looked bright. The slacks had a knife- edge crease which he had put in with great care, using an old-fashioned flat-iron he had found in the kitchen. Her hair was sleek and glossy. She had taken pains to put her lipstick on neatly. He thought she looked lovely.
Although she did not complain, she walked stiffly, but she held her head high, and she had lost none of her arrogance.