In the meantime Natalie was preparing for attack. She garbed herself in her most seductive dress, and assailed Jim as he was leaving Devinne, and commenced to inveigle him into accompanying her on a walk. 282
“I was just going to look over some gear in the stores,” he explained.
“Oh, but zat can vait. Zee day is so magnifique. Mees Angela, you say to him hee es to come.”
Angela, who had just entered the passage, turned crimson.
“My brother usually pleases himself,” she said, and walked away.
A few minutes’ artful pleading, and Jim was beaten. It seemed outrageous to refuse her so small a—pleasure. He got his hat and stalked along beside her. Angela watched them disappear towards the river.
She felt furious with Jim—furious because he could not see that this brazen-faced woman was making love to him all the time. The studied voluptuous movements, the bright lift of the eyes, the mad rush to secure for him anything she thought he might need—how could any man but a fool misinterpret these actions? And Jim looked so innocent—too innocent, she thought. At any rate, he had gone with her on that walk, and anything might happen—Natalie wouldn’t care.
She went out of the house, feeling very wroth 283 and very dejected. Devinne met her outside the store and smiled in his quiet, pleasant fashion.
“Where’s Jim?” he asked.
“I—I think he has gone for a walk with Natalie.”