“Well? What is it?” she said; and now I saw that she was in tears.
“Nothing,” I replied; “only that I am going to see you safe home.”
“You foolish boy,” she retorted. “As if I could not take care of myself.”
“Your brother does not like you to be out alone at night,” I said quietly; “and I shall walk with you to the door.”
“Such nonsense, Antony! Ah, well, just as you like;” and she burst into a mocking laugh.
I knew this was to hide from me the fact that she was in tears; and I walked beside her in silence till we had nearly reached the door, when we both started, for a dark figure suddenly came up to us.
“Oh, Steve, how you frightened me!” exclaimed Linny with a forced laugh.
“Did I?” he said calmly; and then he held out his hand to me and pressed mine.
He did not speak, but that pressure of his hand meant thanks, I thought, for what I had done; and once more I set myself to reach Caroline Street, thinking very seriously about Linny Hallett, of her mother’s weakness and constant complaints, and of the way in which Stephen Hallett seemed to devote himself to them both.