Page:Georgie by Dorothea Deakin, 1906.djvu/255

Peterkin He was early in the drawing-room, and when Diana came in with Anne, Georgie found that it fell to his unhappy lot to take down an important cousin. So he saw nothing of his sweetheart while dinner lasted, but in the drawing-room afterwards he picked a program from a tray and went up to her. She was very grave, and in her white cloudy dress looked pale. She gazed steadily into his face as he drew near, and he wondered what had driven the roses from her cheeks so quickly. They had been in full bloom on the terrace before dinner. He waited silently for her to speak.

"I can't speak to you now," she said in a low voice. "I—I haven't had time to think things over yet."

Georgie stared, then laughed uneasily.

"Is it a hanging matter?" he asked lightly. "I'm frightfully sorry Di, and all that sort of thing, don't you know. I'm sorry I'm such an awful backslider."

"Don't!" She spoke sharply. "Go away. I can't talk to you now." 239