Page 496 - sons-and-lovers

Clara had pulled a button from a hollyhock spire, and
was breaking it to get the seeds. Above her bowed head the
pink flowers stared, as if defending her. The last bees were
falling down to the hive.
‘Count your money,’ laughed Paul, as she broke the flat
seeds one by one from the roll of coin. She looked at him.
‘I’m well off,’ she said, smiling.
‘How much? Pf!’ He snapped his fingers. ‘Can I turn
them into gold?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ she laughed.
They looked into each other’s eyes, laughing. At that mo-
ment they became aware of Miriam. There was a click, and
everything had altered.
‘Hello, Miriam!’ he exclaimed. ‘You said you’d come!’
‘Yes. Had you forgotten?’
She shook hands with Clara, saying:
‘It seems strange to see you here.’
‘Yes,’ replied the other; ‘it seems strange to be here.’
There was a hesitation.
‘This is pretty, isn’t it?’ said Miriam.
‘I like it very much,’ replied Clara.
Then Miriam realised that Clara was accepted as she had
never been.
‘Have you come down alone?’ asked Paul.
‘Yes; I went to Agatha’s to tea. We are going to chapel. I
only called in for a moment to see Clara.’
‘You should have come in here to tea,’ he said.
Miriam laughed shortly, and Clara turned impatiently
aside.