"There is the sea," announced Brigit, perfunctorily.
It was not intrinsically beautiful, the scene, but as some chord in the
human breast almost invariably vibrates in response to a view of salt
water, this point was considered, at Kingsmead, to be a particularly
important one, and as the motor flew on Brigit Mead wondered how many
hundred times she had brought people there with the same curt
introduction, "There is the sea."
Theo, perfectly happy, turned occasionally to look at the other two, but
spoke little. It filled him with joy to see his beloved and his father
together, and his engagement was still so young that he had not got used
to it, and loved to think about it.
Joyselle, too, was unusually silent for a long time. Then at last he
turned to Brigit, his face grave as she had hitherto seen it only when
he was playing.
"I will not intrude again, Brigitte," he said, his deep voice very
gentle; "but when--if--you ever care to come to me for help or
advice--of any kind, I shall always be at your service."
"Thank you," she said, and could say no more, for fear of breaking
down. Then her sense of humour, never very keen, did for once come to
the rescue, and in an absurd mental flash-light she pictured his face if
she should suddenly put her head down on his knees and wail out the
truth: "Yes, dear Beau-papa, advise and help me, for I am to be your
daughter, my children are to be your grandchildren, and--I love you!"
Something in her face hurt him, and for the rest of the drive he quite
simply and frankly sulked.
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