Page 632 - sons-and-lovers

nearly touch her. She did not know he was there. He saw the
brown, humble nape of her neck under its black curls. He
would leave himself to her. She was better and bigger than
he. He would depend on her.
She went wandering, in her blind way, through the little
throngs of people outside the church. She always looked so
lost and out of place among people. He went forward and
put his hand on her arm. She started violently. Her great
brown eyes dilated in fear, then went questioning at the
sight of him. He shrank slightly from her.
‘I didn’t know—-’ she faltered.
‘Nor I,’ he said.
He looked away. His sudden, flaring hope sank again.
‘What are you doing in town?’ he asked.
‘I’m staying at Cousin Anne’s.’
‘Ha! For long?’
‘No; only till to-morrow.’
‘Must you go straight home?’
She looked at him, then hid her face under her hat-
brim.
‘No,’ she said—‘no; it’s not necessary.’
He turned away, and she went with him. They thread-
ed through the throng of church people. The organ was
still sounding in St. Mary’s. Dark figures came through
the lighted doors; people were coming down the steps. The
large coloured windows glowed up in the night. The church
was like a great lantern suspended. They went down Hollow
Stone, and he took the car for the Bridges.
‘You will just have supper with me,’ he said: ‘then I’ll

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