And yet all for her, if she only knew.
All for her!
And then finding Andrew and returning with him carrying the bags.
And here was Sondra again, dancing down in a smart green knitted sports costume.
And Jill in a new cap and blouse which made her look like a jockey, laughing at Burchard who was at the wheel of the boat.
And Sondra calling back to Bertine and Harley Baggott in the swing as she was passing:
“Hey, fellows!
You won’t come, eh?”
“Where?”
“Casino Golf Club.”
“Oh, too far.
See you after lunch on the beach, though.”
And then Burchard shooting the boat out in the lake with a whir that set it bounding like a porpoise — and Clyde gazing half in a dream, half delight and hope and the other half a cloud of shadow and terror, with arrest and death, maybe, stalking close behind.
For in spite of all his preliminary planning, he was beginning to feel that he had made a mistake in openly coming out of the wood this morning.
And yet had it not been best, since the only alternative was that of remaining there by day and coming out at night and following the shore road on foot to Sharon?
That would have required two or three days.
And Sondra, anxious as well as curious about the delay, might have telephoned to Lycurgus, thereby raising some question in regard to him which might have proved dangerous later might it not?
But here now, this bright day, with seemingly no cares of any kind, for these others at least, however dark and bleak his own background might be.
And Sondra, all gayety because of his presence, now jumping up, her bright scarf held aloft in one hand like a pennant, and exclaiming foolishly and gayly:
“Cleopatra sailing to meet — to meet — who was it she was sailing to meet, anyhow?”
“Charlie Chaplin,” volunteered Taylor, at the same time proceeding to ricochet the boat as roughly and erratically as possible in order to make her lose her balance.
“Oh, you silly!” returned Sondra, spreading her feet sufficiently apart to maintain her equilibrium, and adding for the benefit of Burchard:
“No, you don’t either, Burchy,” then continuing:
“Cleopatra sailing, a-a-oh, I know, aquaplaning,” and throwing her head back and her arms wide, while the boat continued to jump and lurch like a frightened horse.
“See if you can upset me now, Burchy,” she called.
And Burchard, throwing the boat from side to side as swiftly as he dared, with Jill Trumbull, anxious for her own safety, calling:
“Oh, say, what do you want to do?
Drown us all?” at which Clyde winced and blanched as though struck.
At once he felt sick, weak.
He had never imagined that it was going to be like this; that he was going to suffer so.
He had imagined that it was all going to be different.
And yet here he was, blanching at every accidental and unintended word!
Why, if he were put to any real test — an officer descending on him unexpectedly and asking him where he had been yesterday and what he knew of Roberta’s death — why, he would mumble, shiver, not be able to talk, maybe — and so give his whole case away wouldn’t he!
He must brace up, try to look natural, happy — mustn’t he — for this first day at least.
Fortunately in the speed and excitement of the play, the others seemed not to notice the startling effect of the remark upon him, and he managed by degrees to recover his outward composure.
Then the launch approached the Casino and Sondra, wishing to execute some last showy stunt, jumped up and catching the rail pulled herself up, while the boat rolled past only to reverse later.
And Clyde, because of a happy smile in his direction, was seized by an uncontrollable desire for her — her love, sympathy, generosity, courage. And so now, to match her smiles, he jumped up and after assisting Jill to the steps, quickly climbed up after her, pretending a gayety and enthusiasm that was as hollow inwardly as outwardly it was accurate.
“Gee!
Some athlete you are!”
And then on the links a little later with her, and under her guidance and direction, playing as successful a game as it was possible with his little experience and as troubled as he was.
And she, because of the great delight of having him all to herself in shadowy hazards where they might kiss and embrace, beginning to tell him of a proposed camping trip which she, Frank Harriet, Wynette Phant, Burchard Taylor, her brother Stuart, Grant Cranston and Bertine, as well as Harley Baggott, Perley Haynes, Jill Trumbull and Violet Taylor, had been organizing for a week, and which was to begin on the morrow afternoon, with a motor trip thirty miles up the lake and then forty miles east to a lake known as Bear, along which, with tents and equipment, they were to canoe to certain beaches and scenes known only to Harley and Frank.
Different days, different points.
The boys would kill squirrels and catch fish for food.
Also there would be moonlight trips to an inn that could be reached by boat, so they said.
A servant or two or three from different homes was to accompany them, as well as a chaperon or two.
But, oh, the walks in the woods!
The opportunities for love — canoe trips on the lake — hours of uninterrupted love-making for at least a week!
In spite of all that had occurred thus far to give him pause, he could not help thinking that whatever happened, was it not best to go?
How wonderful to have her love him so!
And what else here could he do?