Page:Sons and Lovers, 1913, Lawrence.djvu/275

Rh “I say, Susan, I heard a whisper of your getting married. What about it?”

Susan flushed red.

“Who’s been talking to you?” she replied.

“Nobody. I merely heard a whisper that you were thinking——”

“Well, I am, though you needn’t tell anybody. What’s more, I wish I wasn’t!”

“Nay, Susan, you won’t make me believe that.”

“Shan’t I? You can believe it, though. I’d rather stop here a thousand times.”

Paul was perturbed.

“Why, Susan?”

The girl’s colour was high, and her eyes flashed.

“That’s why!”

“And must you?”

For answer, she looked at him. There was about him a candour and gentleness which made the women trust him. He understood.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” he said.

Tears came to her eyes.

“But you’ll see it’ll turn out all right. You’ll make the best of it,” he continued rather wistfully.

“There’s nothing else for it.”

“Yea, there’s making the worst of it. Try and make it all right.”

He soon made occasion to call again on Clara.

“Would you,” he said, “care to come back to Jordan’s?”

She put down her work, laid her beautiful arms on the table, and looked at him for some moments without answering. Gradually the flush mounted her cheek.

“Why?” she asked.

Paul felt rather awkward.

“Well, because Susan is thinking of leaving,” he said.

Clara went on with her jennying. The white lace leaped in little jumps and bounds on to the card. He waited for her. Without raising her head, she said at last, in a peculiar low voice:

“Have you said anything about it?”

“Except to you, not a word.”

There was again a long silence.

“I will apply when the advertisement is out,” she said.

“You will apply before that. I will let you know exactly when.”