CHAPTER XXVIII
GEOFFREY DANVERS
The spring morning on which Evarne was to make her first appearance in this new studio dawned fresh and crisp. On the outward journey she purchased a bunch of daffodils, and slipped them between the revers of her warm squirrel coat. A little cap of the same grey fur perched itself jauntily upon her thick hair, beneath which her clear, calm eyes looked forth upon the world with a certain sweet and serene complacency.
She had allowed herself more than sufficient time for finding her goal, and was ushered by an elderly charwoman into an empty studio. She sat down patiently to wait, picking up the day's newspaper to pass the time until Mr. Hardy should arrive.
Gradually the feeling assailed her that she was being watched. At length the conviction became sufficiently strong to cause her to lower her paper and look round. There, sure enough, in an open doorway, stood a young man.
She rose rather suddenly to her feet. This was presumably Mr. Danvers.
"Excuse my staring so hard," said Geoff rather awkwardly, as he came forward. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm here to be looked at, you know," was the smiling retort, and then a confused silence prevailed.
Any embarrassment before strangers was an unusual experience, and Evarne found herself consciously casting around in her mind for something to say.