CHAPTER
XXVIII
For two weeks Pat and Scott lived in a paradise of constant dangers and passionate adventure.
Fate played
into their hands; James, as he recovered a little strength,
developed a strong inclination for Scott’s society, and insisted that he remain at their house as guest. The two men played chess and bezique. To Dee, in her time of ordeal and sacrifice, it was
a relief without
which
she
must have broken to have the invalid taken off her hands for a good part of every day. Twice daily Pat came over from the Knoll, often staying to luncheon on her morning visit and returning directly after dinner to make a fourth hand at bridge whenever James was in fit condition to play. As a matter of course, Scott took her home and ostensibly left her while he went for a long walk alone, before returning to the James place. In reality those hours were spent with Pat in her conservatory.
“When are you going to get tired of me?” she asked pertly, one gold-studded night of stars and soft winds as they sat together at the open window of the secluded room. She was perched on the arm of his chair, her hand overhanging the back to touch the short curls at his temple. He drew her palm downward and spoke with his lips lightly pressed upon it. “When that planet yonder tumbles down out of the sky into your lap.” “But you ought to, you know. They always do.” “Still obsessed by the movies,” he interpreted play-
fully.
“This is the real world we’re living in.” 269
