So, after a perceptible pause, he concluded, lamely,
"my step-mother's message."
"Yes, I did; thank you very much."
He saw that she had been crying, and his heart welled up with tenderness,
and with angry, impatient annoyance against Radmore's presence.
Why didn't the stupid fellow go? Surely he must realise, surely there
must be something in the atmosphere, which must tell even the blindest of
onlookers, how things were between him, Jack Tosswill, and the invalid?
But Radmore was quite impervious to the atmosphere of emotion and
strain--or so it seemed. On and on he sat, Enid Crofton languidly making
conversation with them both in turn, until at last Rosamund came in, and
both men rose to leave together.
And then something curious happened. Radmore, even while conscious that
he was a fool, felt a violent desire to see Enid Crofton again and very
soon, alone. He was trying to make up a form of words to convey this to
her before the other two, when good fortune seemed to favour him, for
brother and sister began--as they were wont to do--wrangling together.
Seeing his opportunity he bent down a little over Mrs. Crofton's couch in
order to suggest to her that he should come again to-morrow.
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