Very graceful—those little lacy dancing figures—aren’t they?
A delightful color scheme.
It harmonizes with you exactly.
It is quite like you.”
He paused, looking at the spacious rug, which was of warm blues and creams, and at the gilt ormolu bed.
“Well done,” he said, and then, suddenly changing his mood and dropping his talk of decoration (Aileen was to his right, and he was between her and the door), he added:
“Tell me now why won’t you come to the barn-dance to-night?
It would be charming.
You will enjoy it.”
Aileen saw the sudden change in his mood.
She recognized that by showing him the rooms she had led herself into an easily made disturbing position.
His dark engaging eyes told their own story.
“Oh, I don’t feel in the mood to.
I haven’t for a number of things for some time.
I—”
She began to move unconcernedly about him toward the door, but he detained her with his hand.
“Don’t go just yet,” he said.
“Let me talk to you.
You always evade me in such a nervous way.
Don’t you like me at all?”
“Oh yes, I like you; but can’t we talk just as well down in the music-room as here?
Can’t I tell you why I evade you down there just as well as I can here?”
She smiled a winning and now fearless smile.
Lynde showed his even white teeth in two gleaming rows.
His eyes filled with a gay maliciousness.
“Surely, surely,” he replied; “but you’re so nice in your own room here.
I hate to leave it.”
“Just the same,” replied Aileen, still gay, but now slightly disturbed also, “I think we might as well.
You will find me just as entertaining downstairs.”
She moved, but his strength, quite as Cowperwood’s, was much too great for her. He was a strong man.
“Really, you know,” she said, “you mustn’t act this way here. Some one might come in.
What cause have I given you to make you think you could do like this with me?”
“What cause?” he asked, bending over her and smoothing her plump arms with his brown hands.
“Oh, no definite cause, perhaps.
You are a cause in yourself.
I told you how sweet I thought you were, the night we were at the Alcott.
Didn’t you understand then? I thought you did.”
“Oh, I understood that you liked me, and all that, perhaps. Any one might do that. But as for anything like—well—taking such liberties with me—I never dreamed of it.
But listen.
I think I hear some one coming.” Aileen, making a sudden vigorous effort to free herself and failing, added:
“Please let me go, Mr. Lynde.
It isn’t very gallant of you, I must say, restraining a woman against her will.
If I had given you any real cause—I shall be angry in a moment.”
Again the even smiling teeth and dark, wrinkling, malicious eyes.
“Really!
How you go on!
You would think I was a perfect stranger.
Don’t you remember what you said to me at lunch?
You didn’t keep your promise.
You practically gave me to understand that you would come.