Gilbert Griffiths was wroth, his father and mother puzzled as to their proper course but remaining inactive nonetheless.
But the group, according to Sondra, might remain in Schenectady until the following morning, a fact which she did not trouble to explain to Clyde at first.
And by now he had forgotten that Roberta, having returned from her long stay at Biltz by then, and having been deserted by him over Christmas, would most assuredly be expecting him to spend New Year’s Eve with her.
That was a complication which was to dawn later.
Now he only saw bliss in Sandra’s thought of him and at once eagerly and enthusiastically agreed.
“But you know,” she said cautiously, “you mustn’t pay so very much attention to me over there or here or anywhere or think anything of it, if I don’t to you.
I may not be able to see so very much of you if you do.
I’ll tell you about that sometime.
You see my father and mother are funny people. And so are some of my friends here.
But if you’ll just be nice and sort of indifferent — you know — I may be able to see quite a little of you this winter yet.
Do you see?”
Thrilled beyond words by this confession, which came because of his too ardent approaches as he well knew, he looked at her eagerly and searchingly.
“But you care for me a little, then, don’t you?” he half-demanded, half-pleaded, his eyes lit with that alluring light which so fascinated her.
And cautious and yet attracted, swayed sensually and emotionally and yet dubious as to the wisdom of her course, Sondra replied:
“Well, I’ll tell you. I do and I don’t.
That is, I can’t tell yet.
I like you a lot.
Sometimes I think I like you more than others.
You see we don’t know each other very well yet.
But you’ll come with me to Schenectady, though, won’t you?”
“Oh, will I?”
“I’ll write you more about that, or call you up.
You have a telephone, haven’t you?”
He gave her the number.
“And if by any chance there’s any change or I have to break the engagement, don’t think anything of it.
I’ll see you later — somewhere, sure.”
She smiled and Clyde felt as though he were choking.
The mere thought of her being so frank with him, and saying that she cared for him a lot, at times, was sufficient to cause him to almost reel with joy.
To think that this beautiful girl was so anxious to include him in her life if she could — this wonderful girl who was surrounded by so many friends and admirers from which she could take her pick. ? Chapter 28
S ix-thirty the following morning.
And Clyde, after but a single hour’s rest after his return from Gloversville, rising, his mind full of mixed and troubled thoughts as to how to readjust his affairs in connection with Roberta.
She was going to Biltz to-day.
He had promised to go as far as Fonda.
But now he did not want to go.
Of course he would have to concoct some excuse.
But what?
Fortunately the day before he had heard Whiggam tell Liggett there was to be a meeting of department heads after closing hours in Smillie’s office to-day, and that he was to be there.
Nothing was said to Clyde, since his department was included in Liggett’s, but now he decided that he could offer this as a reason and accordingly, about an hour before noon, he dropped a note on her desk which read:
“HONEY: Awfully sorry, but just told that I have to be at a meeting of department heads downstairs at three.
That means I can’t go to Fonda with you, but will drop around to the room for a few minutes right after closing.
Have something I want to give you, so be sure and wait.
But don’t feel too bad. It can’t be helped.
See you sure when you come back Wednesday.
“CLYDE.”
At first, since she could not read it at once, Roberta was pleased because she imagined it contained some further favorable word about the afternoon.
But on opening it in the ladies’ rest room a few minutes afterwards, her face fell.
Coupled as this was with the disappointment of the preceding evening, when Clyde had failed to appear, together with his manner of the morning which to her had seemed self-absorbed, if not exactly distant, she began to wonder what it was that was bringing about this sudden change.
Perhaps he could not avoid attending a meeting any more than he could avoid going to his uncle’s when he was asked.
But the day before, following his word to her that he could not be with her that evening, his manner was gayer, less sober, than his supposed affection in the face of her departure would warrant.
After all he had known before that she was to be gone for three days. He also knew that nothing weighed on her more than being absent from him any length of time.