Page:Anthony Hope - The Dolly Dialogues.djvu/147

 'Till when, Lady Mickleham?'

'Till you tell the truth,' said Dolly, and she suddenly burst into a little laugh.

'Woman—woman—woman!' said I again. 'Let's go into lunch.'

'I'm going to carry the pots,' said Dolly. 'It's awfully hot, Mr. Carter—and look at my poor hands!'

She held them out to me.

'Lunch!' said I.

'Pots!' said Dolly, with infinite firmness.

The window of the dining-room opened, and Archie put his head out.

'Come along, you two,' he called. 'Everything's getting cold.'

Dolly turned an appealing glance on me.

'How obstinate you are!' she said. 'You know perfectly well'

I began to walk towards the house.

'I'm going in to lunch,' said I.

'Ask them to keep some for me,' said Dolly, and she turned up the sleeves of her gown, till her wrists were free.

'It's most unfair,' said I indignantly.

'I don't care if it is,' said Dolly, stooping down to lift a pot.

I watched her strain to lift it. She had chosen the largest and heaviest; she sighed delicately and delicately she panted. She also looked at her hands, and held them up for me to see the lines of brown on the pink. I put my hands in my pockets and said most sulkily, as I turned away towards the house,—