He said apathetically:"I suppose you've been to Park Lane.How's the old man?"Winifred could not help the bitter answer:"Not dead."He winced,actually he winced.
"Understand,Monty,"she said,"I will not have him worried.If you aren't going to behave yourself,you may go back,you may go anywhere.Have you had dinner?"No.
"Would you like some?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"Imogen offered me some.I didn't want any."Imogen!In the plenitude of emotion Winifred had forgotten her.
"So you've seen her?What did she say?"
"She gave me a kiss."
With mortification Winifred saw his dark sardonic face relaxed.
'Yes!'she thought,'he cares for her,not for me a bit.'
Dartie's eyes were moving from side to side.
"Does she know about me?"he said.
It flashed through Winifred that here was the weapon she needed.
He minded their knowing!
"No.Val knows.The others don't;they only know you went away."She heard him sigh with relief.
"But they shall know,"she said firmly,"if you give me cause.""All right!"he muttered,"hit me!I'm down!"Winifred went up to the bed."Look here,Monty!I don't want to hit you.I don't want to hurt you.I shan't allude to anything.
I'm not going to worry.What's the use?"She was silent a moment.
"I can't stand any more,though,and I won't!You'd better know.
You've made me suffer.But I used to be fond of you.For the sake of that."She met the heavy-lidded gaze of his brown eyes with the downward stare of her green-grey eyes;touched his hand suddenly,turned her back,and went into her room.
She sat there a long time before her glass,fingering her rings,thinking of this subdued dark man,almost a stranger to her,on the bed in the other room;resolutely not 'worrying,'but gnawed by jealousy of what he had been through,and now and again just visited by pity.