She spoke very gently, but her manner, her eyes, and every word rebuked him.
"Then I'll go," he said, "if you prefer it."
He looked down.
"Baroudi's men have come already to take me over."
"I heard them singing, up in my bedroom. Run along! Don't keep him waiting."
With the final words she seemed to make an effort, to try to assume the playful, half-patronizing manner of a pretty woman of the world to a man supposed to adore her; but she allowed her lips to tremble so that he might see she was playing a part. He did not dare to say that he saw, and he went down to the bank of the Nile, got into the felucca that was waiting, and was rowed out into the river.
As soon as he had gone, Mrs. Armine called Ibrahim to come and put a chair and a table for her in the shadow of the wall, close to the stone promontory that was thrust out into the Nile to keep its current from eating away the earth embankment of the garden.
"I am going to have tea here, Ibrahim," she said. "Tell Hassan to bring it directly the sun begins to set."
"Yes, suttinly," replied the always young and cheerful. "And shall Ibrahim come back and stay with you?"
She shook her head, looking kindly at the boy, who had quickly learnt to adore her, as had all the Nubians in the villa.