The dawn of a smile broke the tightened line of her lips.
“Well, if you’re lonely?” she conceded. “It would be selfish of me not to, wouldn’t it?”
He looked down upon her in surprise. Why, the girl looked almost pretty. If she wouldn’t wear such awful hats, and had a little color in her cheeks, she wouldn’t be bad at all. At any rate, she was the most pathetic little creature he had seen in a dog’s age. And a fellow’s heart warmed to her most unprofessionally.
“Good for you!” He picked up Bébé with one hand, and piloting Claire with the other, threaded the way carefully through the holiday traffic.
“I wish we had a sleigh and a pair of horses.” He helped her into the Buick coupé and got in beside her. The machine started. “It’s a perfect day for the country. What do you say to driving out into Westchester?”
Claire flushed joyfully.
“Oh, I’d love it,” she cried, off her guard. “I’m so tired of Riverside Drive and the Park. It’s my daily penance, you know.” Her smile faded.
He nodded sympathetically. “Yes, I know.”
They joined the northward traffic. With joyful tail-wagging Bébé leaped to the window and stared out ecstatically.
“He loves it,” said Claire, and smiled her tired little smile. “He goes out in the car with me every day, and never seems to get tired of it as I do.”