He was arrested by Val's expression.
"You do not care for such a marriage?"
"It is out of the question to discuss such a thing," she said firmly, but her face was ashen.
Rupert examined her acutely. He did not know of course that he was speaking of Bran's father.
CHAPTER XXII
THE WAY OF LOVE
"The philosophy of six thousand years has not searched the chambers and magazines of the soul."--EMERSON.
The Lemprière hat Haidee had on, though it was only a travelling hat of soft silk, turned up in front with one orchid, must have cost at least six guineas, but Westenra had paid it without blenching. It seemed to him that Val had trained him to buying hats and choosing pretty gowns, though the strange thing, if he had analysed it, was that he had never bought Val a hat or gown in his life. Yet because of Val he knew that women needed these things, and because life had gone exceedingly well with him in the last few years, he bought for Haidee all she asked, and made no demur. In America he always travelled second, but now he and Haidee were in a first-class carriage, en route for the South of France, and it seemed natural enough.
Haidee had certainly come into her own, and it was a goodly inheritance of beauty. With her hair coiffé and the hat with the orchid (a wonderful imitation of a rare species found in the Congo forest), she was a lovely dryad come to town. The cut of her tan shantung suit betrayed a master hand, and from its open coat rippled little cascades of fine lace. Yet she looked discontented. Perhaps the bitter moodiness on the face opposite had infected her.
Westenra had not worn that look when they commenced the journey; it was within the last half-hour while they talked of Val that Haidee had watched it creeping like a shadow into his eyes, making harsh lines about his mouth.