Read Online The Partnership by Phyllis Bentley - Free Book Online Page B

the kind of thing you like, Lydia,” he concluded.
    His consideration for her intellectual enjoyments, which he did not in the least understand, always touched Lydia; and when, seeing the refusal in her face, he went on to plead the golden warmth of the summer evening as perfect for a walk—“Do you good to get some fresh air, Lydia,” he urged—she felt extremely sorry to be obliged to decline.
    â€œI should like to come, Wilfred,” she said inher light candid tones. “But Louise wanted me to stay in and keep Annice company.”
    Wilfred stared. “Does Aunt Louise think Annice’ll run off with the house if she’s left alone with it?” he inquired, amused.
    â€œAfter what you said the other evening,” began Lydia.
    â€œOh, that!” said Wilfred. His face assumed an air of apology. “That was all nothing,” he explained. “I’m sorry I ever mentioned it to you. It was Eric I saw her with, you know.”
    â€œEric!” exclaimed Lydia, astounded.
    â€œYes. And I didn’t quite like it,” pursued Wilfred. “But, however, when I spoke to him about it he said that she just came up and asked him the time. She hasn’t a watch, you know, and there’s no clock in sight in the park.”
    This was true enough.
    â€œI’m glad it wasn’t anything,” observed Lydia with relief.
    â€œI’m sorry I mentioned it to you,” repeated Wilfred apologetically. “Now say you’ll come, Lydia.”
    â€œWell—” began Lydia, hesitating. “I’ll just go in and see,” she proffered vaguely. “Sit down a minute, Wilfred.”
    Wilfred obediently let himself down into the deck-chair, and Lydia went through the house to the kitchen. Annice was sitting in the rocking-chair with her hands folded in her lap, gazing vaguely out through the open doorway.
    â€œAnnice,” began Lydia dubiously, “do youthink you would be all right in the house alone?”
    â€œYes, Miss Lydia,” replied Annice with alacrity. As Lydia still hesitated, she added in a comforting and persuasive tone: “You go out with Mr. Wilfred, Miss Lydia. I shall be quite all right.”
    Lydia coloured, and hoped that her conversation with Wilfred had not been entirely audible in the kitchen.
    â€œI hardly know—” she began.
    Annice smiled; her cheeks curved into dimples and her blue eyes took on a roguish sparkle.
    â€œYou go along, Miss Lydia,” she urged warmly, sitting up to press the matter with more vigour. “If you don’t, perhaps he won’t ask you again.”
    â€œReally, Annice!” said Lydia with as much hauteur as she could command. “It’s simply a question of whether you would be afraid to be left alone or not.”
    â€œAfraid!” repeated Annice in a tone of good-natured contempt. “Oh no! I’m not afraid, Miss Lydia.”
    â€œVery well then,” said Lydia stiffly. “I’ll put the latch down on the front door, and we shan’t be gone long.”
    â€œNo, Miss Lydia,” agreed Annice, casting down her lashes demurely. Her smile, however, persisted, and still lingered on her lips when a few minutes later she watched Lydia and Wilfred go down the Place together.
    Lydia had intended to be absent half an hour at the most, but it was after nine o’clock when she and Wilfred returned. They had gone first to a point of vantage whence Wilfred thought the moor fires would be visible across the valley—a long level open road on the slope of a hill commanding a fine view of the surrounding country, which was used by the youth of the town as a parade ground on Sunday evenings when there was no band in the park. To-night it was crowded with pairs of lovers of all ages, who paced slowly up and down with intent faces or halted in large giggling groups. Lydia, who usually felt ill at ease with pairs of lovers, to-night was quite at