The Colonel glowered. The Colonel was moody. His speech was curt.
He occupied himself mainly in listening to Guy and Cyril. A sort
of mesmeric influence seemed to draw him towards the two young men.
He drew them out deliberately. Yet the start he had given as either
young man came up towards his side was a start, not of mere neutral
surprise, but of positive disinclination and regret at the meeting.
Nay, even now he was angling hard, with all the skill of a strategist,
to keep the Warings out of Lady Emily's way. But the more he talked
to them, the more interested he seemed. It was clear he meant to
make the most of this passing chance--and never again, if he could
help it, Elma felt certain, to see them.
Once, and once only, Granville Kelmscott, his son, strolled casually
up and joined the group by pure chance for a few short minutes.
The heir of Tilgate Park was tall and handsome, though less so than
his father; and Mrs. Clifford was not wholly indisposed to throw
him and Elma together as much as possible. Younger by a full year
than the two Warings, Granville Kelmscott was not wholly unlike
them in face and manner. As a rule, his father was proud of him,
with a passing great pride, as he was proud of every other Kelmscott
possession.
Pages:
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80