CHAPTER XXXIV.
GIVE HIM BACK TO ME—GIVE HIM BACK TO ME!
They seemed to have been parted for months instead of hours, so much had they to say to each other, and so rapidly did they say it. Rapidly?—feverishly rather. Phyllis had only to remove her hat and smooth her hair at places, disordering it at others, in order to be all right; but half an hour had gone by before they went downstairs, arm in arm, after the manner of girls who have been talking feverishly and kissing every now and again.
It was madness for Phyllis to think of tea at that hour of the night, Ella declared; but she knew Phyllis’ fancies in the past—she knew that what would set other girls’ nerves in motion, would only have the effect of soothing hers. So Phyllis drank her tea and ate her cake in the drawing room, and Ella lay back on the sofa and watched her with a curious interest in her eyes.
“I am so glad that we are spending together in this way the last night of our delightful week,” said Phyllis. “What a lovely week it has been! and the charm of it is, of course, to be found in the fact that it has been stolen from the best part of the season. In another month it would not be nearly so delightful—everyone will be hurrying off to the river or elsewhere.”
“Such a week is one of the incidents that a person plans but that rarely comes off according to one’s views,” said Ella. “I told you when I set my heart upon Hurley what my idea was.”
“And you have certainly realized it during this week. What a pity it is that this is our last night together!”
“Do you know, Phyllis, the way you said that suggested to me that you meant ‘What a pity it is that Herbert Courtland is not one of our party to-night’!”
Ella was still lying on the broad pillows of the couch, her hands clasped at the back of her head. She was still watching Phyllis through her half-closed eyes.