No Time For Love by Emilie Loring

Author:Emilie Loring [Loring, Emilie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2019-05-09T00:00:00+00:00

ii

Not until the interval did Georgia Sobelli tear her eyes from the stage. “Would you have believed it possible,” she asked, “to see a Shakespeare play, complete in all its beauty and drama, without words? Somehow the words are all implicit in the dancing. I think it is the loveliest ballet I’ve even seen. Lovelier than Giselle even, in some ways. It has everything: the dancing, the music, those lovely muted autumn colors. And—always—the beauty.”

Brooks Mansfield, who had slept a great part of the day and seemed completely refreshed from the night at the Maskers Ball, was watching her covertly. In spite of the careful but discreet makeup he could detect signs of strain and fatigue in the face he knew and loved so well. It was almost haggard.

“What a terrible pity,” she went on, “for artists today to rebel against beauty. It’s like rebelling against life itself. But I suppose, in a way, that is just what they are doing. In the past artists were on the side of life, enriching and ennobling it. Now they protest against it. But we still have things like this; evenings of pure beauty that transcend all the petty things, or at least give us the strength and courage to tackle them.”

“I hoped you would like it, Georgia. When I first saw it done in Rome I thought that I would like to share it with you. Few people have your—well, it’s a fresh, almost childlike, response to beauty. But that’s only fair, of course.”

“Why?”

“Because you have so much beauty to give that you should get some in return.”

There was nothing cold in her face now. It glowed with warmth. “You pay such lovely compliments, Brooks.”

“I never compliment you. It isn’t a compliment to say that you are beautiful. You must know that. Everyone has told you so for years. One of the famous beauties of your day.”

She laughed at him. “At my age? After a sleepless night? My dear, don’t be absurd.”

Somewhat to her surprise he asked quickly, “A sleepless night?” He went on before she could answer, “Georgia, are you in trouble?”

She made no answer. There was a momentary flash from the diamond bracelet clasped on her wrist as her hand jerked, and then she was motionless.

When he realized that she was not going to reply he went on, his voice so low that no one else could hear him, though their box was empty except for themselves, the other occupants having gone out in search of refreshments or acquaintances or a cigarette.

“If you are in trouble, I will help you, Georgia. It does not matter what it is. You can rely on me. Whatever you are doing—and I’ve guessed for some time that you are up to something—I will back you.”

“Brooks!” There were tears in her eyes when she turned to look at him.

“I love you, Georgia. I’ve loved you for ten years, since the first time I met you at a White House reception. There was an awful crush but you seemed to be the only person in the place.

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