Page:The Other House (London, William Heinemann, 1896), Volume 2.djvu/97

Rh "Which, unfortunately, is exactly what you're not!" Rose, having finished her titivation of the child, sank comfortably back on the bench. "Do you object to my speaking to you of that?" she asked.

Jean hesitated; she had only after letting them escape become conscious of the reach of her words, the inadvertence of which showed how few waves of emotion her scene with Paul Beever had left to subside. She coloured as she replied: "I don't know how much you know."

"I know everything," said Rose. "Mr. Beever has already told me."

Jean's flush, at this, deepened. "Mr. Beever already doesn't care!"

"That's fortunate for you, my dear! Will you let me tell you," Rose continued, "how much I do?"

Jean again hesitated, looking, however, through her embarrassment, very straight and sweet. "I don't quite see that it's a thing you should tell me or that I'm really obliged to hear. It's very good of you to take an interest"

"But however good it may be, it's none of my business: is that what you mean?" Rose broke in. "Such an answer is doubtless natural enough.