Bowen took leave, and Laura sat silent, watching her brother under
lowered lids while she feigned to be busy with the kettle. Ralph
presently emptied his cup and put it aside; then, sinking into his
former attitude, he clasped his hands behind his head and lay staring
apathetically into the fire. But suddenly he came to life and started
up. A motor-horn had sounded outside, and there was a noise of wheels at
the door.
"There's Undine! I wonder what could have kept her." He jumped up and
walked to the door; but it was Clare Van Degen who came in. At sight of
him she gave a little murmur of pleasure. "What luck to find you! No,
not luck--I came because I knew you'd be here. He never comes near me,
Laura: I have to hunt him down to get a glimpse of him!"
Slender and shadowy in her long furs, she bent to kiss Mrs. Fairford and
then turned back to Ralph. "Yes, I knew I'd catch you here. I knew
it was the boy's birthday, and I've brought him a present: a vulgar
expensive Van Degen offering. I've not enough imagination left to find
the right thing, the thing it takes feeling and not money to buy. When I
look for a present nowadays I never say to the shopman: 'I want this or
that'--I simply say: 'Give me something that costs so much.'"
She drew a parcel from her muff. "Where's the victim of my vulgarity?
Let me crush him under the weight of my gold."
Mrs. Fairford sighed out "Clare--Clare!" and Ralph smiled at his cousin.
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