To be loved, to be remembered, to be taken care of was to Meg the most wonderful thing in the world. It went to her head like wine.
Therefore did she smile at Captain Middleton in this distracting fashion. It started tremblingly at the corners of her mouth, and then—quite suddenly—her wan little face became dimpled and beseeching and triumphant all at once.
It had no connection whatsoever with Captain Middleton, but how was he to know that?
It fairly bowled him, middle stump, first ball.
No one had ever smiled at him like that before. It turned him hot and cold, and gave him a lump in his throat with the sheer heartrending pathos of it. And he felt an insane desire to lie down and ask this tiny, tired girl to walk upon him if it would give her the smallest satisfaction.
The whole thing passed in a flash, but for him it was one of those illuminating beams that discovers a hitherto undreamed-of panorama.
He caught up little Fay, who made no objection, and ran up all five flights about as fast as he had run down. Jan was just coming out of the flat.
"Here's one!" he cried breathlessly, depositing
little Fay. "And now I'll go down and give the little chap a ride as well."
He met them half-way up. "Now it's your turn," he said to Tony. "Would you like to come on my back?"