“Bah!” he shouted. “Don’t be tragic, for God’s sake! Why should you make such a row about that? You’re none the worse, are you, in health, morals or purse, because I tried to kiss you?”
“Yes, I am!” said she, stubbornly. “I’ve lost something I thought a lot of.... My confidence in——”
“Don’t say confidence in me! I won’t allow women to have confidence in me. It’s insulting. Go on, if you want to! Go upstairs and cry and snivel and have a scene with your two precious friends.”
She was half way up the stairs when he came bounding after her.
“Rosaleen!” he whispered. “Please! Be friends again! I’m sorry. But I’m sure you understand!”
Against the ancient flattery of that appeal she had no defense. She took the big hand he proffered.
“All right!” she said, with her absurd, her heavenly benevolence.
II
After that he behaved very well. He was a most gallant and generous friend, and a valuable one. In spite of his swagger, his bombastic talk, in spite of his fatness and foppishness, he had undeniably a grand air, a sort of magnificence. He saw to it that she was well treated by the others, and that she had an advantage over them. It lay in his hands to bestow prestige, and he did so. She became tenfold more important, more significant. He knew how to manage this. He gave Rosaleen privileges which he permitted to no one else. Enid and Dodo were very rarely invited into his studio, but Rosaleen worked there two or three days a week.
He hadn’t gone so far as to be seen in public with her, though. He didn’t even take her to his own exhibition. He was a conspicuous and, in certain circles, a well-known figure; he was very careful. He sometimes gave her tickets for private views, and so on, or even for theatres and concerts. He sent up chocolates and flowers from time to time, and the foreign art journals to which he subscribed. But he drew a line. He never asked Rosaleen into his studio when there was anyone there. More than once when she had come down as she had been told to do the day before, and knocked at his door, he would put out his head and stare at her through his monocle.