DOI article:
Cross, Victoria: Theodora: a fragment
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21805#0167
By Victoria Cross 163
interesting to talk to than the majori ty of people I meet every
day. The castor of your chair has come upon my dress. Will
you move it back a little, please ? ”
I pushed my chair back immediately and apologised.
“ Are you going alone ? ” resumed Theodora.
“ Ouite alone.”
cc Is that nice ? ”
“No. I should have been very glad to find some fellow to go
with me, but it’s rather difficult. It is not everybody that one
meets whom one would care to make such an exclusive com-
panion of, as a life like that out there necessitates. Still, there’s
no doubt I shall be dull unless I can find some chum there.”
“ Some Englishman, I suppose ? ”
“ Possibly ; but they are mostly snobs who are out there.”
Theodora made a faint sign of assent, and we both sat silent,
staring into the fire.
“ Does the heat suit you ? ” Theodora asked, after a pause.
“ Yes, I like it.”
“ So do I.”
“ I don’t think any woman would like the climate I am going
to now, or could stand it,” I said.
Theodora said nothing, but I had my eyes on her face, which
was turned towards the light of the fire, and I saw a tinge of
mockery come over it.
We had neither said anything farther, when the sound of a
knock reached us, muffled, owing to the distance the sound had to
travel to reach us by the drawing-room fire at all, but distinct in
the silence between us.
Theodora looked at me sharply.
“ There is somebody eise. Do you want to leave yet ? ” she
asked, and then added in a persuasive tone, “ Come into my own
study,
interesting to talk to than the majori ty of people I meet every
day. The castor of your chair has come upon my dress. Will
you move it back a little, please ? ”
I pushed my chair back immediately and apologised.
“ Are you going alone ? ” resumed Theodora.
“ Ouite alone.”
cc Is that nice ? ”
“No. I should have been very glad to find some fellow to go
with me, but it’s rather difficult. It is not everybody that one
meets whom one would care to make such an exclusive com-
panion of, as a life like that out there necessitates. Still, there’s
no doubt I shall be dull unless I can find some chum there.”
“ Some Englishman, I suppose ? ”
“ Possibly ; but they are mostly snobs who are out there.”
Theodora made a faint sign of assent, and we both sat silent,
staring into the fire.
“ Does the heat suit you ? ” Theodora asked, after a pause.
“ Yes, I like it.”
“ So do I.”
“ I don’t think any woman would like the climate I am going
to now, or could stand it,” I said.
Theodora said nothing, but I had my eyes on her face, which
was turned towards the light of the fire, and I saw a tinge of
mockery come over it.
We had neither said anything farther, when the sound of a
knock reached us, muffled, owing to the distance the sound had to
travel to reach us by the drawing-room fire at all, but distinct in
the silence between us.
Theodora looked at me sharply.
“ There is somebody eise. Do you want to leave yet ? ” she
asked, and then added in a persuasive tone, “ Come into my own
study,