Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/37

 eyes that were looking at her with shy pleasure. She smiled. He smiled in return and showed square teeth set a little apart. She went quickly to him, putting the sugar basin within his reach.

"Remember your May," she whispered.

The colour deepened in his cheeks. He looked sheepishly from side to side to see if the others had heard. Then he nodded.

When the others straggled out he remained apparently engrossed in a slice of bread and jam. Kirke and Lovering went out together, using toothpicks and joking with the air of swagger fellows. They felt considerably above the other third-floor boarders by virtue of Lovering's position as under-foreman in the dye works, and Kirke's as a shipper in the tannery. But they preferred the cheap accommodation to a more ambitious status.

The dining-room was now empty save for Delight and the young man. He laid down his bread and got nervously to his feet. Delight came and stood beside him, a roguish smile curving towards a dimple in her cheek.

"You heard what I said, eh?" she asked in a low tone.

"Y-yes," he stammered. "You've made me awful proud. When can we get together?"

"I don't quite know. She's upstairs with Mrs. Jessop now, makin' beds. Couldn't you go back to your room as though you'd forgot something?"

"She? What do you mean she?"

"Why, May, silly. She's terrible keen to see you. You're Albert all right, aren't you?"

"Albert! I say, what are you giving me?"

"Why, May's Albert. Albert Masters. I s'pose you'd like me to tell you where you first met May!" Her smile was sarcastic now. The dimple had gone into retreat.