“No.” She merely framed the word, sighing.
“You’re wrong, Jenny.” Keith’s voice changed. He deliberately looked round the table at the little dishes that still lay there untouched. “Have some of these sweets, will you.... No?” Jenny could only draw her breath sharply, shaking her head. “Almonds, then?” She moved impatiently, her face distorted with wretched exasperation. As if he could see that, and as if fear of the outcome hampered his resolution, Keith hurried on. “Well, look here: we’ll clear the table together, if you like. Take the things through the other cabin—that one—to the galley; root up the table by its old legs—I’ll show you how its’ done;—and then we can have a talk. I’ll ... I’ll tell you as much as I can about everything you want to know. That do?”
“I can’t stay long. I’ve left Pa in bed.” She could not keep the note of roughness from her pleading voice, although shame at being petulant was struggling with her deeper feeling.
“Well, he won’t want to get up again yet, will he?” Keith answered composedly. Oh, he had nerves of steel! thought Jenny. “I mean, this is his bedtime, I suppose?” There was no answer. Jenny looked at the tablecloth, numbed by her sensations. “Do you have to look after him all the time? That’s a bit rough...”
“No,” was forced from Jenny. “No, I don’t ... not generally. But to-night—but that’s a long story, too. With rows in it.” Which made Keith laugh. He laughed not quite naturally, forcing the last several jerks of his laughter, so that she shuddered at the thought of his possible contempt. It was as if everything she said was lost before ever it reached his heart—as if the words were like weak blows against an overwhelming strength. Discouragement followed and deepened after every blow—every useless and baffled word. There was again silence, while Jenny set her teeth, forcing back her bitterness and her chagrin, trying to behave as usual, and to check the throbbing within her breast. He was trying to charm her, teasingly to wheedle her back into kindness, altogether misunderstanding her mood. He was guarded and considerate when she wanted only passionate and abject abandonment of disguise.
“We’ll toss up who shall begin first,” Keith said in a jocular way. “How’s that for an idea?”
Jenny felt her lips tremble. Frantically she shook her head, compressing the unruly lips. Only by keeping in the same position, by making herself remain still, could she keep back the tears. Her thought went on, that Keith was cruelly playing with her, mercilessly watching the effect of his own coldness upon her too sensitive heart. Eh, but it was a lesson to her! What brutes men could be, at this game! And that thought gave her, presently, an unnatural composure. If he were cruel, she would never show her wounds. She would sooner die. But her eyes, invisible to him, were dark with reproach, and her face drawn with agony.
“Well, we’d better do something,” she said, in a sharp voice; and rose to her feet. “Where is it the things go?” Keith also rose, and Jenny felt suddenly sick and faint at the relaxation of her self-control.
ii
“Hullo, hullo!” Keith cried, and was at once by her side. “Here; have a drink of water.” Jenny, steadying herself by the table, sipped a little of the water.