Page:Dark Hester.djvu/89

the chair to pass the cups. He was full of goodwill and though she found him impudent Monica did not dislike him.

Celia, facing them all with her gentleness, rather as Clive faced them, made Monica think of Milton’s lady confronted with the Comus rout. She belonged with Clive, not with the rout, and did not Hester, whose eyes were on her, feel it? ‘But I have been here all the time, you know!’ she was saying as she entered. Clive had been asking why he so seldom saw her. She was cool and gentle, but surprised, and she said, as she came to kiss her friend and be introduced to the circle: ‘I didn’t know you had a party, Monica.’

‘Do lie down,’ said Hester, indicating the sofa from which Mrs. Travers had arisen. ‘You must be tired; it’s so hot, isn’t it?’

It was evident that Hester intended to be kind, thoughtful and efficient, but Celia, who would as soon have thought of taking off her shoes and stockings when she came out to tea as of lying down, laughed a little nervously as she said: ‘Thanks so much!—But I’m not a bit tired.’

‘Well, Oriana is, at all events,’ said Hester, who still stood, rather gauntly, in the middle of the room in her straight blue dress. ‘We’ve had a very tiring