“Don’t think me meddlesome, my dear, but you will make a great mistake not to stick close beside that big, splendid husband of yours. They all do it, and I imagine he has been almost circumspect compared with most of them. Send the girl away and see if you can’t make him forget his affinity. He is worth the effort, my dear—believe me, he is worth the effort.”
Helen was so taken by surprise by the contessa’s words that she stood speechless, looking at her with dull, lifeless eyes as she stepped into the tonneau and waved a smiling farewell as the motor-car rolled out of the court-yard. So the contessa was aware of the situation, and was also convinced of Jack’s attachment for Inez! This was too horrible—she could not endure it! Matters must be brought to a head soon or she would die of mortification! She could not return to the veranda where she had left Cerini and Jack together, but went up-stairs to her room, where she locked the door and threw herself upon the bed in a paroxysm of tears.
Armstrong, on the contrary, had gained strength from Cerini’s sympathy. He would accept the offered opportunity and see if at last he could not prove himself worthy of such glorious co-partnership. Unlike his previous efforts, if he succeeded it would tend to restore Helen’s happiness as well, and this gave him an added incentive.
It was the afternoon of the next day before he was able to make his opportunity. Inez had taken a book and secreted herself in Helen’s “snuggery” in the garden, but Armstrong’s watchful eyes followed her. Waiting until she had time to become well settled, he strolled around the garden, finally appearing at the entrance to prevent her escape. To his surprise she made no such effort, and appeared more at ease than at any time since the accident.
“Have you come to join me?” she asked, with much of her former bearing.
“If I may,” he replied, advancing to the seat and taking the place she made for him beside her.
“How famously you are getting on!” she said, laying down the volume; “you are more like yourself than I have seen you since the awful accident.”
“If I may say so,” Armstrong replied, watching her closely, “I was just thinking the same of you.”
Inez flushed. “You are right,” she answered, frankly, after a moment’s pause.
Armstrong was distinctly relieved by her unexpected attitude. As he looked back he realized that there had been a change in her bearing toward him, particularly during the past week; but until now he had not appreciated how rapidly her unnatural manner had been returning to what it was during the early days of their acquaintance. The apparent effort to avoid him had disappeared, although he knew of no more reason for this than he had originally seen cause for its existence. Whatever the reason, the change had undoubtedly taken place, and it made matters easier for him.