“And Cherry?”
She tossed her head impatiently, “With you, it’s always Cherry.”
“Well then, Lorie—is he going to meet us?”
“If he does, what difference will it make?”
“To me? Not much. But to you—you’ll know then, and you’ll be happy.”
“Shall I?”
Her indifference spurred him into earnestness. From differing points of view, the golden woman and Cherry used the same arguments. If he could convince her, he could perhaps convince Cherry. In fighting for the Faun Man, it was his own battle he was fighting.
“You don’t know yourself, golden woman—you don’t know his value. He’s become a habit—you’ll miss him terribly. He’s been too extravagant in the giving of himself. He’s made you selfish. If you were to lose him, if suddenly from giving you everything, he were to give you nothing——-”
Her voice reached him bitterly. “That’s what he threatens—to starve me after giving me everything. He didn’t say it in those words, but——. What do I care?”
“You do care. You’re caring now. All day long you’ve been caring. If he isn’t there to meet us——.”