Reading Help Secret Adversary Ch.XIV-XXVIII
Clickable text below...
Prev Next
Page #
`
` "Oh, Julius--what will the chauffeur think?" `
` `
` "At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any `
` independent thinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the `
` supper at the Savoy was so that I could drive you home. I didn't `
` see how I was ever going to get hold of you alone. You and `
` Tuppence have been sticking together like Siamese twins. I guess `
` another day of it would have driven me and Beresford stark `
` staring mad!" `
` `
` "Oh. Is he----?" `
` `
` "Of course he is. Head over ears." `
` `
` "I thought so," said Jane thoughtfully. `
` `
` "Why?" `
` `
` "From all the things Tuppence didn't say!" `
` `
` "There you have me beat," said Mr. Hersheimmer. But Jane only `
` laughed. `
` `
` In the meantime, the Young Adventurers were sitting bolt upright, `
` very stiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack `
` of originality, was also returning to the Ritz via Regent's Park. `
` `
` A terrible constraint seemed to have settled down between them. `
` Without quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed `
` changed. They were tongue-tied--paralysed. All the old `
` camaraderie was gone. `
` `
` Tuppence could think of nothing to say. `
` `
` Tommy was equally afflicted. `
` `
` They sat very straight and forbore to look at each other. `
` `
` At last Tuppence made a desperate effort. `
` `
` "Rather fun, wasn't it?" `
` `
` "Rather." `
` `
` Another silence. `
` `
` "I like Julius," essayed Tuppence again. `
` `
` Tommy was suddenly galvanized into life. `
` `
` "You're not going to marry him, do you hear?" he said `
` dictatorially. "I forbid it." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tuppence meekly. `
` `
` "Absolutely, you understand." `
` `
` "He doesn't want to marry me--he really only asked me out of `
` kindness." `
` `
` "That's not very likely," scoffed Tommy. `
` `
` "It's quite true. He's head over ears in love with Jane. I `
` expect he's proposing to her now." `
` `
` "She'll do for him very nicely," said Tommy condescendingly. `
` `
` "Don't you think she's the most lovely creature you've ever `
` seen?" `
` `
` "Oh, I dare say." `
` `
` "But I suppose you prefer sterling worth," said Tuppence `
` demurely. `
` `
` "I--oh, dash it all, Tuppence, you know!" `
` `
` "I like your uncle, Tommy," said Tuppence, hastily creating a `
` diversion. "By the way, what are you going to do, accept Mr. `
` Carter's offer of a Government job, or accept Julius's invitation `
` and take a richly remunerated post in America on his ranch?" `
` `
` "I shall stick to the old ship, I think, though it's awfully good `
` of Hersheimmer. But I feel you'd be more at home in London." `
` `
` "I don't see where I come in." `
` `
` "I do," said Tommy positively. `
` `
` Tuppence stole a glance at him sideways. `
` `
` "There's the money, too," she observed thoughtfully. `
` `
` "What money?" `
` `
` "We're going to get a cheque each. Mr. Carter told me so." `
` `
` "Did you ask how much?" inquired Tommy sarcastically. `
` `
` "Yes," said Tuppence triumphantly. "But I shan't tell you." `
` `
` "Tuppence, you are the limit!" `
` `
` "It has been fun, hasn't it, Tommy? I do hope we shall have lots `
` more adventures." `
` `
` "You're insatiable, Tuppence. I've had quite enough adventures `
` for the present." `
` `
` "Well, shopping is almost as good," said Tuppence dreamily. `
` `
` "Think of buying old furniture, and bright carpets, and futurist `
` silk curtains, and a polished dining-table, and a divan with lots `
` of cushions." `
` `
` "Hold hard," said Tommy. "What's all this for?" `
` `
` "Possibly a house--but I think a flat." `
` `
` "Whose flat?" `
` `
` "You think I mind saying it, but I don't in the least! OURS, so `
` there!" `
` `
` "You darling!" cried Tommy, his arms tightly round her. "I was `
` determined to make you say it. I owe you something for the `
` relentless way you've squashed me whenever I've tried to be `
` sentimental." `
` `
` Tuppence raised her face to his. The taxi proceeded on its `
` course round the north side of Regent's Park. `
` `
` "You haven't really proposed now," pointed out Tuppence. "Not `
` what our grandmothers would call a proposal. But after listening `
` to a rotten one like Julius's, I'm inclined to let you off." `
` `
` "You won't be able to get out of marrying me, so don't you think `
` it." `
` `
` "What fun it will be," responded Tuppence. "Marriage is called `
` all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, `
` and a state of bondage, and lots more. But do you know what I `
` think it is?" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "A sport!" `
` `
` "And a damned good sport too," said Tommy. `
` `
` `
`
` "Oh, Julius--what will the chauffeur think?" `
` `
` "At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any `
` independent thinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the `
` supper at the Savoy was so that I could drive you home. I didn't `
` see how I was ever going to get hold of you alone. You and `
` Tuppence have been sticking together like Siamese twins. I guess `
` another day of it would have driven me and Beresford stark `
` staring mad!" `
` `
` "Oh. Is he----?" `
` `
` "Of course he is. Head over ears." `
` `
` "I thought so," said Jane thoughtfully. `
` `
` "Why?" `
` `
` "From all the things Tuppence didn't say!" `
` `
` "There you have me beat," said Mr. Hersheimmer. But Jane only `
` laughed. `
` `
` In the meantime, the Young Adventurers were sitting bolt upright, `
` very stiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack `
` of originality, was also returning to the Ritz via Regent's Park. `
` `
` A terrible constraint seemed to have settled down between them. `
` Without quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed `
` changed. They were tongue-tied--paralysed. All the old `
` camaraderie was gone. `
` `
` Tuppence could think of nothing to say. `
` `
` Tommy was equally afflicted. `
` `
` They sat very straight and forbore to look at each other. `
` `
` At last Tuppence made a desperate effort. `
` `
` "Rather fun, wasn't it?" `
` `
` "Rather." `
` `
` Another silence. `
` `
` "I like Julius," essayed Tuppence again. `
` `
` Tommy was suddenly galvanized into life. `
` `
` "You're not going to marry him, do you hear?" he said `
` dictatorially. "I forbid it." `
` `
` "Oh!" said Tuppence meekly. `
` `
` "Absolutely, you understand." `
` `
` "He doesn't want to marry me--he really only asked me out of `
` kindness." `
` `
` "That's not very likely," scoffed Tommy. `
` `
` "It's quite true. He's head over ears in love with Jane. I `
` expect he's proposing to her now." `
` `
` "She'll do for him very nicely," said Tommy condescendingly. `
` `
` "Don't you think she's the most lovely creature you've ever `
` seen?" `
` `
` "Oh, I dare say." `
` `
` "But I suppose you prefer sterling worth," said Tuppence `
` demurely. `
` `
` "I--oh, dash it all, Tuppence, you know!" `
` `
` "I like your uncle, Tommy," said Tuppence, hastily creating a `
` diversion. "By the way, what are you going to do, accept Mr. `
` Carter's offer of a Government job, or accept Julius's invitation `
` and take a richly remunerated post in America on his ranch?" `
` `
` "I shall stick to the old ship, I think, though it's awfully good `
` of Hersheimmer. But I feel you'd be more at home in London." `
` `
` "I don't see where I come in." `
` `
` "I do," said Tommy positively. `
` `
` Tuppence stole a glance at him sideways. `
` `
` "There's the money, too," she observed thoughtfully. `
` `
` "What money?" `
` `
` "We're going to get a cheque each. Mr. Carter told me so." `
` `
` "Did you ask how much?" inquired Tommy sarcastically. `
` `
` "Yes," said Tuppence triumphantly. "But I shan't tell you." `
` `
` "Tuppence, you are the limit!" `
` `
` "It has been fun, hasn't it, Tommy? I do hope we shall have lots `
` more adventures." `
` `
` "You're insatiable, Tuppence. I've had quite enough adventures `
` for the present." `
` `
` "Well, shopping is almost as good," said Tuppence dreamily. `
` `
` "Think of buying old furniture, and bright carpets, and futurist `
` silk curtains, and a polished dining-table, and a divan with lots `
` of cushions." `
` `
` "Hold hard," said Tommy. "What's all this for?" `
` `
` "Possibly a house--but I think a flat." `
` `
` "Whose flat?" `
` `
` "You think I mind saying it, but I don't in the least! OURS, so `
` there!" `
` `
` "You darling!" cried Tommy, his arms tightly round her. "I was `
` determined to make you say it. I owe you something for the `
` relentless way you've squashed me whenever I've tried to be `
` sentimental." `
` `
` Tuppence raised her face to his. The taxi proceeded on its `
` course round the north side of Regent's Park. `
` `
` "You haven't really proposed now," pointed out Tuppence. "Not `
` what our grandmothers would call a proposal. But after listening `
` to a rotten one like Julius's, I'm inclined to let you off." `
` `
` "You won't be able to get out of marrying me, so don't you think `
` it." `
` `
` "What fun it will be," responded Tuppence. "Marriage is called `
` all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, `
` and a state of bondage, and lots more. But do you know what I `
` think it is?" `
` `
` "What?" `
` `
` "A sport!" `
` `
` "And a damned good sport too," said Tommy. `
` `
` `
`