She glanced at him. "I’m certainly going to pay for my own beer,” she said. “Does that amuse you?”
And as he looked down at her, arrogant, small but durable, it happened. He found himself suddenly, utterly and completely in love with her. It was an overpowering feeling that stupefied him, made him water at the eyes, made him weak in the legs.
They looked at each other. Whether she saw the change in him, he wasn’t sure. He felt she must be able to read his thoughts. She couldn’t fail to see how completely crazy he was about her. If she did, she made no sign, but went on, her head a little higher, her chest arched.
They bought two bottles of beer at the off-licence at the corner of George’s street. Then they went on to the boardinghouse.
“I’m afraid it isn’t much,” George muttered apologetically as he opened the front door. “But if you think you’ll like it…” His voice died away as he glanced uneasily round the hall.
There was no one about. The sound of dishes clattering in the basement reassured him.
Cora went straight upstairs. She wasn’t a fool, George thought. She knows I’m nervous about her being here. She’s going straight up. There’s no nonsense about her.
He eyed her slim hips as she went on ahead of him. She was beautiful. There was absolutely no doubt about it. Most women looked awful in trousers. They stuck out and they wobbled, but not Cora. She was hard, slim, neat.
So he was in love with her. And he was lucky, too. Not many men would be as fortunate as he. She wasn’t going to run him into any expense. He knew what girls were like. Spend—spend—spend, all the time. They didn’t think you loved them unless you continually spent money on them. But Cora wasn’t like that. She was independent. “If I’m going to see you again…” It was the most wonderful evening of his life!
“Just one more flight,” he said, as she glanced back over her shoulder. “And you turn to the right when you get to the top.”