The Devil's Mountain by H.G. de Lisser

Author:H.G. de Lisser
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mint Editions

XVII

MR. PHIPPS CHANGES

They went back to their camping place, and thence to Triton, in good time for dinner. The picnic had been on the whole a great success, and when Mr. Phipps announced that he had arranged for a light supper at the Myrtle Bank Hotel on their return that night, it was voted that the ending of the day would be perfect. Even Lady Rosedale appeared satisfied, for again and again had the conversation turned on her great loss, and she felt that the seriousness of this subject had not been unduly obscured. Lawrence, who had been most of the time with Marian, looked quietly happy; Nora was bright and brimful of excitement. Stephen, too, for whom the day had begun in disappointment, and who had been angry at his sudden and almost rude interruption in the glade by Inspector Harmsworth, had now apparently recovered his good spirits: he had not failed to notice the impression he had made at the Runaway Bay, in spite of the good-humoured chaffing of Mr. Phipps. But Marian and Inspector Harmsworth were troubled and depressed, though they did their best to stimulate light-hearted enjoyment. It would not have required a particularly observant person to notice that these two were completely out of tune with the rest; and there were one or two who noticed it. Lawrence did, and it was patent to Stephen. Mr. Phipps not only perceived it, but seemed affected by it. Even he was not his usual gay-hearted self.

The short twilight had faded into dusk, the sea had changed from purple to slate, and the stars had begun to peep forth one by one when the party started on their homeward journey.

Mr. Phipps saw Stephen step into Mrs. Hamilton’s car, with Nora and Mrs. Hamilton, and made no effort to repeat his manoeuvre of the morning and send him to sit beside the chauffeur. Lawrence, on his part, was much surprised when Mr. Phipps, whom he had fully expected would ride beside Arthur as he had done during the drive to Triton, got into the hinder part of the car with Marian and himself. Mr. Phipps murmured something about its being chilly in front, and spread the rug in the car with great solicitude over the knees of the three of them; but Lawrence, who ordinarily would have done anything for the comfort of his friend, had the feeling that this was an unnecessarily selfish act on his part, since Phipps was a tough and wiry person who would as a fact think much less of the cold than he or Marian. Of course, his sitting with Marian and Lawrence rendered anything but conventional conversation impossible.

Marian was placed between the two men and did not seem inclined to any conversation; Lawrence was not then prepared to indulge in common-places; Mr. Phipps himself, form whom a constant stream of talk might usually be expected, sank into a profound reverie, making no attempt to excuse it.

Lawrence’s hand sought and found that of Marian under the wrap; but Marian gently disengaged her hand.

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