Page 435 - tender-is-the-night

IX

At four o’clock next afternoon a station taxi stopped at
the gate and Dick got out. Suddenly off balance, Nicole ran
from the terrace to meet him, breathless with her effort at
self-control.
‘Where’s the car?’ she asked.
‘I left it in Arles. I didn’t feel like driving any more.’
‘I thought from your note that you’d be several days.’
‘I ran into a mistral and some rain.’
‘Did you have fun?’
‘Just as much fun as anybody has running away from
things. I drove Rosemary as far as Avignon and put her on
her train there.’ They walked toward the terrace together,
where he deposited his bag. ‘I didn’t tell you in the note be-
cause I thought you’d imagine a lot of things.’
‘That was very considerate of you.’ Nicole felt surer of
herself now.
‘I wanted to find out if she had anything to offer—the
only way was to see her alone.’
‘Did she have—anything to offer?’
‘Rosemary didn’t grow up,’ he answered. ‘It’s probably
better that way. What have you been doing?’
She felt her face quiver like a rabbit’s.
‘I went dancing last night—with Tommy Barban. We
went—‘

435