He still, in an odd way, felt responsible
for Betty--which was clearly absurd.
And then Janet Tosswill said something that surprised him very much. "I
think you'd better go round and see some of the people in the village
to-day. I was rather sorry you went off straight to The Trellis House
last evening. You know how folks talked, even in the old days, in
Beechfield?"
He looked uneasy--taken aback, and she felt, if a little ashamed, glad
that she had made that "fishing" remark.
There was a pause, and then he said with a touch of formality: "Look
here, Janet? I'd like you to know that though I've become quite fond of
Mrs. Crofton, I'm only fond--nothing more, you understand? Perhaps I'll
make my meaning clearer when I tell you that I was the only man in Egypt
who knew her who wasn't in love with her."
He saw her face change and, rather piqued, he asked: "Did you think I
was?"
"I thought that you and she were great friends--"
"Well, so we are in a way. I saw a great deal of her in London."
"And you went straight off to see her the moment you arrived here."
"Well, perhaps I was foolish to do that."
What an odd admission to make. He certainly had changed amazingly in the
last nine years!
Then it was Janet who surprised him: "Don't make any mistake," she said
quickly.
Pages:
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173