For in cutting the man Joan had also cut the girl, and had not thought, the girl meaning little or nothing to her.
“Johnny, I—I—don’t think me unkind—or ungracious—but—I would like to go back soon. I don’t mean—” She paused. “Let’s go back by way of Bennerden.”
It meant that she did not want to go back by the same road with the chance of seeing those two again.
Ellice’s cheeks were burning, and her eyes were bright with anger. Joan Meredyth had cut her, and it seemed to her that Johnny had aided and abetted.
Then she happened to glance at Hugh Alston, and intuition prompted her.
“I think you know her,” she said quickly.
“Yes, I—I know her.”
“And she was not pleased to see you?”
“Apparently not!” he laughed, but the laughter was shaky. “Here we are! We’ll soon get the bicycle fixed up.”
Ellice stood watching him while with a borrowed spanner he adjusted the handle-bars.