Page 403 - sons-and-lovers
P. 403

‘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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