"All right! Don't then!" cried Alwynne wrathfully. She turned her back on him and sat down.
The luncheon-bell tinkled across the ensuing pause, like a peal of puckish laughter.
CHAPTER XLIII
Elsbeth's voice, raised tactfully at the further end of the passage, warned them of her approach.
Said Alwynne over her shoulder—
"Anyhow, you must stay to lunch now, Elsbeth would be furious if you went. She'll say I've driven you away or something. Unless you want to get me into another row?"
She spoke ungraciously enough, for she disliked having to ask a favour of him at such a juncture; but she disliked even more the notion of a tête-à-tête lunch with Elsbeth. Elsbeth, by right of aunthood, would ask questions, demand confession.... Elsbeth, she knew instinctively, would be on Roger's side.... She told herself that she did not mind being bullied by Roger, because, after all, it was Roger's affair; but she would not be otherwise interfered with.... Elsbeth had a way of putting you in the wrong.... She would rather not talk with Elsbeth until she had seen Clare.... Clare would fortify her.... If only Roger would keep Elsbeth occupied till she got away to Clare....
"You must stay, you know," she repeated uneasily.