I never minded those things, but it seemed odd to me, in somebody else's room.
It was surely rather bad manners?
Not polite to me.
'How's old Max?' he said.
I was surprised at his tone.
It sounded as though he knew him well.
It was queer, to hear Maxim talked of as Max.
No one called him that.
'He's very well, thank you,' I said.
'He's gone up to London.'
'And left the bride all alone?
Why, that's too bad.
Isn't he afraid someone will come and carry you off?'
He laughed, opening his mouth.
I did not like his laugh.
There was something offensive about it.
I did not like him, either.
Just then Mrs Danvers came into the room.
She turned her eyes upon me and I felt quite cold.
Oh, God, I thought, how she must hate me.
'Hullo, Danny, there you are,' said the man; 'all your precautions were in vain.
The mistress of the house was hiding behind the door.'
And he laughed again.
Mrs Danvers did not say anything. She just went on looking at me.
'Well, aren't you going to introduce me?' he said; 'after all it's the usual thing to do, isn't it, to pay one's respect to a bride?'
'This is Mr Favell, Madam,' said Mrs Danvers.
She spoke quietly, rather unwillingly.
I don't think she wanted to introduce him to me.
'How do you do,' I said, and then, with an effort to be polite, 'Won't you stay to tea?'
He looked very amused.
He turned to Mrs Danvers.
'Now isn't that a charming invitation?' he said.
'I've been asked to stay to tea?
By heaven, Danny, I've a good mind to.'
I saw her flash a look of warning at him.
I felt very uneasy. It was all wrong, this situation.
It ought not to be happening at all.
'Well, perhaps you're right,' he said; 'it would have been a lot of fun, all the same.
I suppose I had better be going, hadn't I?
Come and have a look at my car.'
He still spoke in a familiar rather offensive way.
I did not want to go and look at his car.
I felt very awkward and embarrassed.
'Come on,' he said, 'it's a jolly good little car.
Much faster than anything poor old Max ever has.'
I could not think of an excuse.
The whole business was so forced and stupid. I did not like it.
And why did Mrs Danvers have to stand there looking at me with that smouldering look in her eyes?
'Where is the car?' I said feebly.
'Round the bend in the drive.