While he wrote he explained that Miss
French could keep her company at least another fortnight, that he could
leave with them four or five circular notes for immediate expenses, and
would send more from home directly he arrived.
In the middle of his directions Kitty once more appealed to him in a
passionate, muffled voice not to go. This time he lost his temper, and
without answering her he hastily left the room to arrange his packing
with his valet.
* * * * *
When he returned to the
salon Kitty was not there. He and Miss
French--who knew only that something tragic had happened in which Kitty
was concerned--kept up a fragmentary conversation till dinner was
announced and Kitty entered. She had evidently been weeping, but with
powder and rouge she had tried to conceal the traces of her tears; and
at dinner she sat silent, hardly answering when Margaret French spoke to
her.
After dinner Ashe went out with his cigar towards the Piazza. He was in
a smarting, dazed state, beginning, however, to realize the blow more
than he had done at first. He believed that Parham himself would not be
at all sorry to be rid of him.
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