“You’re tired out,” Micky said calmly, though he 257 looked anything but calm, “and I’m going to bully you and insist that you rest. I’ll come back presently....”
He went away quickly, as if he were afraid of being kept against his will but outside the door he stood still for a moment with his hand over his eyes before he pulled himself together and went on.
Esther listened to his departing steps with a sinking at her heart.
What had she hoped for? She hardly knew, but she felt as if she had made an overture of friendship that had been kindly but decidedly refused.
Her cheeks burned. It was not what she had expected.
It seemed an eternity till Micky came back again.
“There’s a train in half an hour,” he told her. “We can get back to town very comfortably. I’ve wired to June to meet us. She probably came up from Enmore yesterday.”
June! Esther had almost forgotten June.
“You ought to be getting ready if we are to catch that train,” Micky said. “Would you rather stay till to-morrow? I’m afraid the journey will tire you dreadfully.”
She rose hurriedly.