Page 403 - sons-and-lovers
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‘I say, Susan, I heard a whisper of your getting married.
What about it?’
Susan flushed red.
‘Who’s been talking to you?’ she replied.
‘Nobody. I merely heard a whisper that you WERE
thinking—-‘
‘Well, I am, though you needn’t tell anybody. What’s
more, I wish I wasn’t!’
‘Nay, Susan, you won’t make me believe that.’
‘Shan’t I? You CAN believe it, though. I’d rather stop
here a thousand times.’
Paul was perturbed.
‘Why, Susan?’
The girl’s colour was high, and her eyes flashed.
‘That’s why!’
‘And must you?’
For answer, she looked at him. There was about him a
candour and gentleness which made the women trust him.
He understood.
‘Ah, I’m sorry,’ he said.
Tears came to her eyes.
‘But you’ll see it’ll turn out all right. You’ll make the best
of it,’ he continued rather wistfully.
‘There’s nothing else for it.’
‘Yea, there’s making the worst of it. Try and make it all
right.’
He soon made occasion to call again on Clara.
‘Would you,’ he said, ‘care to come back to Jordan’s?’
She put down her work, laid her beautiful arms on the
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