Page:A Virgin Heart.pdf/89

Rh He looked at Rose in his turn, but Rose did not drop her eyes. Meanwhile, M. Hervart was growing bored.

"Mme Suif," said Lanfranc, "is still quite well preserved. For instance...."

"Rose dear," interrupted M. Des Boys, "doesn't your mother want you?"

"Oh, no, I'm sure she doesn't. Mother would only ﬁnd me in the way."

"Your father is right, Rose," said M. Hervart, glad to make trial of his authority.

She did not dare oppose her lover's wish, but she felt angry as she rose to go.

"Acting like my master already!" she thought. "I should so like to listen to M. Lanfranc..."

She dared not add: "... and to look at this M. Leonor and be looked at by him and, still more, to hear them talk of Mme Suif. What was he going to say? Oh, I do want to know!"

She entered the house, came out again by another door and hid herself in a shrubbery from which she could hear their voices quite clearly.

"It's not only her shoulders," M. Lanfranc