Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/188

 home was not, a place of soft colors and shaded lights, of shimmering, silken rugs underfoot. He smiled with pleasure at the idea of having her own rooms furnished and decorated in a shade of blue to match the wonderful color of her eyes.

But before that they would steal away on the Siren. It could be done. No one, beyond the sailing master and crew, need know. Of course, ultimately every one would know; it would become for a week or two the gossip of drawing-rooms and cafés; that could not be helped; but he would delay that time as long as possible.

And equally, of course, his mother would learn of it. He was sorry for that. He had virtually promised only a fortnight or so ago that there would be no more illicit affairs. But this was different; only he knew that his mother would fail to discern the difference. He wondered whether, after all, it might not be possible to keep the affair secret. Instead of a house in town they might have one somewhere outside; perhaps in one of the towns along the shore. But reflection showed him the futility of that plan. He was too well-known to hope to escape unrecognized; besides, it