She spoke quietly, but there was a note in her voice which acted on
Mrs. Porter like magic. Her flow of words ceased abruptly. It was a
small incident, but it had the effect of making Kirk, grateful as he
was for the interruption, somehow vaguely uneasy for a moment.
It seemed to indicate some subtle change in Ruth's character, some new
quality of hardness added to it. The Ruth he had left when he sailed
for Colombia would, he felt, have been incapable of quelling her
masterful aunt so very decisively and with such an economy of words. It
suggested previous warfare, in which the elder women had been subdued
to a point where a mere exclamation could pull her up when she forgot
herself.
Kirk felt uncomfortable. He did not like these sudden discoveries about
Ruth.
"I will explain to Kirk," she said. "You go up and see that everything
is right in the nursery."
And--amazing spectacle!--off went Mrs. Porter without another word.
Ruth put her arm in Kirk's and led him off to the smoking-room.
"You may smoke a cigar while I tell you all about Bill," she said.
Kirk lit a cigar, bewildered. It is always unpleasant to be the person
to whom things have to be explained.
"Poor old boy," Ruth went on, "you certainly are thin. But about Bill.
I am afraid you are going to be a little upset about Bill, Kirk.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193