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She longed to hear all, all about Saidee's existence, ever since the letters had stopped; why they had stopped; and whether the reason had anything to do with the mystery about Cassim. Saidee seemed willing to wait, apparently, for details of Victoria's life, since she wanted to begin with the time only a few weeks ago, when Maïeddine had come into it.
I can't save you from Maïeddine, but there's one difference. I would save you if I could. Just at first, I was so anxious for you to be out of the way of my happiness the chance of it that the only thing I longed for was that you should be gone." Victoria choked back a sob that rose in her throat, but Saidee felt, rather than heard it, as she lay with her burning head on the girl's arm.
Saidee did you think of me sometimes, when you were standing here on this roof?" "Yes, of course I thought of you often only not so often lately as at first, because for a long time now I've been numb. I haven't thought much or cared much about anything, or or any one except " "Except " "Except except myself, I'm afraid." Saidee's face was turned away from Victoria's.
Our stepmother whom we always called 'Mrs. Ray, never 'mother' liked officers, and we got acquainted with a good many French ones. They used to come to the flat where we lived. Some of them were introduced by our French governess, whose brother was in the army, but they brought others, and Saidee and Mrs. Ray went to parties together, though Mrs. Ray hated being chaperon.
Everything being settled, and the watch-towers well supplied with food for the rifles, Stephen went to call Saidee and Victoria, who were in their almost dismantled room. The bedstead, washstand, chairs and table had ceased to be furniture, and had become part of the barricade. "Let me carry your things into the dining-room now," he said. "And your bed covering.
All the great Aghas and Caïds of the south would be there, and as Nevill knew many of them, he might be able to get definite information concerning Ben Halim. As for Saidee to hear of Ben Halim was to hear of her. And then it was, in the midst of describing the ball, and the important men who would attend, that Nevill suddenly broke off to be superstitious about birds.
"Of course he must, Babe, if he's really come to search for you," Saidee said, looking at her young sister affectionately. "Thank you a hundred times for saying that, dearest! I do hope so!" Victoria exclaimed, hugging the elder woman impulsively, as she used when she was a little child. But Saidee's joy, caught from her sister's, died down suddenly, like a flame quenched with salt.
She blushed more and more deeply, and Saidee understood. "I see! He's in love with you. That's why he brought you here. How clever of him! How like an Arab!" For a moment Saidee was silent, thinking intently. It could not be possible, Victoria told herself, that the idea pleased her sister. Yet for an instant the white face lighted up, as if Saidee were relieved of heavy anxiety.
"How dreadful!" exclaimed Victoria, mortified. "I've kept you here all this time, listening to me." "Didn't I tell you I'd rather listen to you than anything else? Eating was certainly not excepted. I don't remember hearing the bugle." "And I didn't hear it." "I'd forgotten dinner. You had carried me so far away with you." "And Saidee," added the girl. "Thank you for going with us."
And Maïeddine had used this fact as one excuse, when he admitted that they might have taken a shorter road. But in her heart the girl had guessed why the longest way had been chosen. She did not wish to hide from Saidee things which concerned herself, yet Maïeddine's love was his secret, not hers, therefore she had not meant to tell of it, and she was angry with herself for blushing.
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