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Updated: June 26, 2025
Braybrooke hesitated. The attraction of the Wallace Collection no longer drew him. Besides, it was getting late. On the other hand, he scarcely liked to interrupt an earnest tete-a-tete. If it had not been that he was exceptionally strung up at that moment he would probably have gone quietly off to one of his clubs.
Now and then, as he met Miss Van Tuyn's eyes, he thought they were searching his with an unusual consciousness, as if they expected something very special from him. Presently, too, she let the conversation languish, and at last allowed it to drop. In the silence that succeeded Braybrooke was seized by a terrible fear that perhaps she was waiting for him to propose.
For jealousy, I suppose I have never felt it myself in that way is born out of doubt, but can never exist side by side with complete confidence." "Ah! But Beryl, in how many people in the course of a lifetime can one have complete confidence I have scarcely met one. What do you say?" She turned her head towards Braybrooke.
The faint defiance which Braybrooke thought he detected in their eyes suited them both, giving to them just a touch of the arrogance which youth and health render charming, but which in old people is repellent and ugly. They wore it like a feather set at just the right rakish angle in a cap.
Beryl was quite satisfied to be at a distance, for she had a passion for independence. Her father gave her an ample allowance. Her mother had long ago unearthed Fanny Cronin from some lair in Philadelphia to be her official companion. Braybrooke knew all this, knew about how much money Miss Van Tuyn had, and about how much she would eventually have.
Although she had been interested when Braybrooke had spoken of Craven's cleverness and energy, of his good prospects in his career, and of the appreciation of Eric Learington a man not given to undue praises she had been secretly irritated when he had come to the question of Beryl Van Tuyn and the importance of Craven's marrying well. Why should he marry at all? And if he must, why Beryl Van Tuyn?
Miss Van Tuyn looked at him with rather acute inquiry, as if she could not make up her mind about something with which he was closely concerned. "He would like to meet you again," said Braybrooke, with soft firmness. "But I have met him again two or three times. He called on me." "And I understand you were together in a restaurant in Soho, I think it was." "Yes, we were."
"But surely Lady Sellingworth must have wanted to get her jewels back. What can have induced her to be silent about such a loss?" "It's a mystery. I have wondered why often," said Braybrooke, gently stroking his beard.
She observed him with a definite surprise, which she seemed desirous of showing. "I was alluding to the promising men," she said. "Which men?" asked Braybrooke, still hypnotized by the vision. "The men with big futures before them who you were kind enough to tell Fanny were longing to marry me." "Oh, yes!"
Then he suddenly remembered that in London there is an "old guard" of men, and that undoubtedly Braybrooke belonged to it; and, afraid that he was blundering, he changed the conversation. A fortnight later Craven received a note from his old friend saying that Braybrooke had spoken about him to "Adela Sellingworth," and that she would be glad to know him.
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