I show everything on my face: whether I like people or not, whether I am angry or pleased. There's no reserve about me.
Maxim is entirely different.
Very quiet, very reserved.
You never know what's going on in that funny mind of his.
I lose my temper on the slightest provocation, flare up, and then it's all over.
Maxim loses his temper once or twice in a year, and when he does — my God — he does lose it.
I don't suppose he ever will with you, I should think you are a placid little thing.'
She smiled, and pinched my arm, and I thought about being placid, how quiet and comfortable it sounded, someone with knitting on her lap, with calm unruffled brow.
Someone who was never anxious, never tortured by doubt and indecision, someone who never stood as I did, hopeful, eager, frightened, tearing at bitten nails, uncertain which way to go, what star to follow.
'You won't mind me saying so, will you?' she went on, 'but I think you ought to do something to your hair.
Why don't you have it waved?
It's so very lanky, isn't it, like that?
Must look awful under a hat.
Why don't you sweep it back behind your ears?'
I did so obediently, and waited for her approval.
She looked at me critically, her head on one side.
'No,' she said.
'No, I think that's worse.
It's too severe, and doesn't suit you.
No, all you need is a wave, just to pinch it up.
I never have cared for that Joan of Arc business or whatever they call it.
What does Maxim say?
Does he think it suits you?'
'I don't know,' I said, 'he's never mentioned it.'
'Oh well,' she said, 'perhaps he likes it.
Don't go by me.
Tell me, did you get any clothes in London or Paris?'
'No,' I said, 'we had no time.
Maxim was anxious to get home.
And I can always send for catalogues.'
'I can tell by the way you dress that you don't care a hoot what you wear,' she said.
I glanced at my flannel skirt apologetically.
'I do,' I said.
'I'm very fond of nice things.
I've never had much money to spend on clothes up to now.'
'I wonder Maxim did not stay a week or so in London and get you something decent to wear,' she said.
'I must say, I think it's rather selfish of him.
So unlike him too.
He's generally so particular.'
'Is he?'
I said; 'he's never seemed particular to me.
I don't think he notices what I wear at all.
I don't think he minds.'
'Oh,' she said. 'Oh, well, he must have changed then.'
She looked away from me, and whistled to Jasper, her hands in her pockets, and then stared up at the house above us.
'You're not using the west wing then,' she said.
'No,' I said. 'No, we have the suite in the east wing.
It's all been done up.'
'Has it?' she said.
'I didn't know that.