Page:Conflict (1927).pdf/47

 'I had to stay for a committee meeting.'

'I waited at every corner.'

'Did you?'

And then silence—long, poignant, hurting silence—and immobility, broken finally by Felix taking a step nearer to Sheilah. Just one step. She leaned back a little against the hedge, not because Felix touched her, but there seemed sometimes to be a sort of aura emanating from him so that if he stood within a foot of her she felt him. She put one hand on the gate-rail, as if to support herself against the pressing aura, and Felix, whose hands till now had been hidden within the deep side pockets of his overcoat, also put one hand on the gate-rail. It was bare as usual.

'I must go in,' said Sheilah.

'Not yet.'

Again there was silence, and again, 'I must go in.' But she didn't make a motion towards it.

Felix moved his hand a little nearer hers, like a cat stealing up slowly upon a bird.

'What kind of fur is that?' he asked, indicating with a nod Sheilah's neck-piece. As if he cared!

'It's fox.' As if she cared!

'I thought fox was red.'

'Sometimes it's gray.'

'I never saw a gray fox.'

Under cover of such irrelevant remarks Felix