Her eyes widened with avidity. “I didn’t know the whole, God forsaken place was worth a thousand,” she remarked. “A hundred thousand,” the mere repetition of that sum brought a new shine into her gaze, instinctively drew her closer to Gordon’s side.
“Just that alone would be enough—” she said, and paused.
He ignored this opening in the anticipated pleasure of his coming interview with Valentine Simmons.
A palpable annoyance took possession of her at Gordon’s absorption. “It must be near dinner at Peterman’s,” she remarked; “on Sunday you’ve got to be on time.”
In response to her suggestion he turned toward the road. They walked back silently until they were opposite the priest’s. “I’d better go on alone,” she decided. Her hands clung to his shoulders and she sought his lips. “Soon again,” she murmured. “Don’t desert me; I am entirely alone except for you.”
She left him and swiftly crossed the green to the road.
XII
Gordon carefully explained the entire circumstance of the timber to Lettice. “I just happened to be by the stream,” he continued, “and overheard them. Your father and Simmons evidently had arranged the thing, and Simmons was going to crowd you out of all the gain.”