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And then luckily that young Nerone Altineri turned up from Rome: he went over to New York to look for a job as an engineer, and Ursula made Fred put him in their iron works." She paused again, and then added abruptly: "Streffy! If you knew how I hate that kind of thing. I'd rather have Nick come in now and tell me frankly, as I know he would, that he's going off with " "With Coral Hicks?"
He walked toward the dressing-table and glanced at the little enamelled clock which had been one of her wedding-presents. "Time to dress, isn't it? Shall you mind if I leave you to dine with Streffy, and whoever else is coming? I'd rather like a long tramp, and no more talking just at present except with myself." He passed her by and walked rapidly out of the room.
Strefford vetoed the Lido, on the ground that he'd just come back from there, and proposed that they should go out on foot for a change. "Why not? What fun!" Susy was up in an instant. "Let's pay somebody a surprise visit I don't know who! Streffy, Prince, can't you think of somebody who'd be particularly annoyed by our arrival?" "Oh, the list's too long.
As a matter of fact, the paying public had remained cold to his few published pages; but he lived among the kind of people who confuse taste with talent, and are impressed by the most artless attempts at literary expression; and though he affected to disdain their judgment, and his own efforts, Susy knew he was not sorry to have it said of him: "Oh, if only Streffy had chosen !"
That I'm tired, that I've got a splitting headache that you bore me to death, one and all of you!" She turned and laid a deprecating hand on his arm. "Streffy, old dear, don't mind me: but for God's sake find a gondola and send me home." "Alone?" "Alone." It was never any concern of Streff's if people wanted to do things he did not understand, and she knew that she could count on his obedience.
She and Streffy are waiting to take me to the station, and I've run up to say good-bye." "Ellie, dear!" Full of compunction, Lansing pushed aside his writing and started up; but she pressed him back into his seat. "No, no! I should never forgive myself if I'd interrupted you. I oughtn't to have come up; Susy didn't want me to. But I had to tell you, you dear.... I had to thank you..."
"If I'm going to be jealous of Streffy now !" he concluded with a grimace of self-derision. Certainly Susy looked lovely enough to justify the most irrational pangs. As a girl she had been, for some people's taste, a trifle fine-drawn and sharp-edged; now, to her old lightness of line was added a shadowy bloom, a sort of star-reflecting depth.
Because I said I'd rather have it than a book, you know," Clarissa lucidly explained, her arms tight about her father's neck, her beaming eyes on Strefford. Nelson Vanderlyn's own eyes took on the look of shrewdness which came into them whenever there was a question of material values. "What, Streffy? Caught you at it, eh? Upon my soul-spoiling the brat like that!
It's happiness that's done it, my dear. You're just one of the people with whom it happens to agree." Susy, leaning back, scrutinized between her lashes his crooked ironic face. "What is it that's agreeing with you, Streffy? I've never seen you so human. You must be getting an outrageous price for the villa." Strefford laughed and clapped his hand on his breast-pocket.
"Oh, I don't mind your laughing at me, Streffy darling," his hostess retorted, pressing his arm against her own; and Susy, receiving the shock of their rapidly exchanged glance, said to herself, with a sharp twinge of apprehension: "Of course Streffy knows everything; he showed no surprise at finding Ellie away when he arrived. And if he knows, what's to prevent Nelson's finding out?"
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