"Darling, why should you? Your home is with me now. As for the picture, if you want to paint, there is my studio, through that door. You can work in it all day undisturbed, and sell your picture, I have not any doubt, if you wish to. But now, you shall have something to eat: you must have left before dinner."
Regina sank down in one of the large and truly easy chairs. Suddenly she felt weak and cold and faint. For many hours that worst of all fevers, scorching hate and anger, had burnt in her veins, eating up her strength. For the time she was exhausted.
"We must go and get you some supper directly," Everest said, regarding her anxiously. "Sit still till I come." And he turned back into his bedroom, to put on his coat again.
"You were just going to bed. I am sorry to disturb you, and drag you out again!"
For all answer, she heard him laugh from the inner room. In a few moments he came back to her. She looked up with a sudden exclamation.
He had put on a light overcoat, a white silk handkerchief round his neck, and his opera hat.
"Everest, I have never seen you like that! How wonderful you look!—so very handsome in that hat! I have never seen you in it before."
"No, one doesn't wear them in the country," rejoined Everest, laughing. "You are the most awful little flatterer I ever knew. If I live much with you, I shall get vain in time. Come along now, you look so white. You ought to get something to eat, and then go to bed and to sleep as soon as you can."
They went downstairs to the waiting taxi, and Everest ran up again with her handbag, and set it inside his own room, with a gust of pleasure sweeping over him.