Page:The little blue devil (IA littlebluedevil00mackiala).pdf/309

They were silent again. Pamela was very puzzled, but he did not seem to want to talk. She must find out more later. In another few minutes they were out of the Gardens and driving to an unpretentious hotel, where Tony demanded a private sitting-room to wait in till it should be luncheon-time. Once within that somewhat dingy haven, each was conscious of a change of feeling—their positions were almost reversed. Pamela, though she knew she could not rest till all her story was unfolded, shrank from it a little with sudden dread—how could she tell what effect it might have on him? On the other hand, Tony, more calmly regarding those blue eyes, felt the grip upon his heart slacken. He noted the dark circles, but they spoke only of sleeplessness; nothing had marred that expression of serious and confiding candour which was Pamela’s chief charm. He smiled as lightly as he could, putting her into the most comfortable chair the small room held, kissed the soft cheek very gently, then settled himself in an opposite chair, saying quietly, “Now tell me.”

“Yes.” She paused to think of the best beginning.

“When did you hear from me last? I wrote to you from California, but I suppose you have never got those letters. . . . Did you hear that I was going to stay with Uncle Markham Learmonth?”

“Yes.”

“He was very kind to me all along—at least, I think he meant to be; but his wife, Aunt Rosa—oh, Tony, I think she must be a very dreadful woman. I never met anyone in the least like her. And then ”—this was more difficult, but it had to be told-“then there was Uncle Markham’s stepson . . . a man . . . named Alick Power. . . . He———”

Her voice died away in a little moan. A spasm of pain passed over her face, and she put her head back as if she could not bear its weight. As a matter of fact, she