"Mr. Graham and I are old friends," she said lightly. "We knew each other
out at the hospital even before he came to stay at grandmother's."
The next instant she was sorry she had spoken: for the self-control for
which she had commended him suddenly departed, and his eyelids, which
should have been discreetly lowered, were lifted instead, and such an
ardent look of gratitude poured forth that she was filled with confusion.
For half an hour four uncomfortable people sat in the little gilded cage
of a drawing-room, and everybody wondered why somebody didn't do
something to relieve the situation. Mr. and Mrs. Ranny made heroic
efforts to entertain their unwelcome guest; Harold Phipps moved about the
room with ill-concealed impatience; and Eleanor sat erect, with tightly
clasped hands, as angry with Harold as she was with Quin.
"Mr. Graham," said Mrs. Ranny at length, when Harold had looked at his
watch for the fourth time, "I am afraid we shall have to ask you to
excuse us. You see, this is our wedding anniversary, and we always
celebrate it by a sentimental pilgrimage in search of wild flowers. I am
afraid it's about time we were starting.
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