“Ha, you’ve led me all your dances that you know,” she retorted. “I know there’ll be nothing new, unfortunately.”
“Why don’t you stay in Australia?” Jack said to her, with the same quiet, husky note of intimacy, insistency, and the reddish light on his face.
She was somewhat startled and offended. Wasn’t the man sober, or what?
“Oh, he wouldn’t give me any money, and I haven’t a sou of my own,” she said lightly, laughing it off.
“You wouldn’t be short of money,” said Jack. “Plenty of money.”
“You see I couldn’t just live on charity, could I?” she replied, delicately.
“It wouldn’t be charity.”
“What then?”
There was a very awkward pause. Then a wicked redness came into Jack’s face, and a flicker into his voice.
“Appreciation. You’d be appreciated.” He seemed to speak with muted lips. There was a cold silence. Harriet was offended now.