DOI article:
Syrett, Netta: Far above rubies
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25498#0270
266 Far Above Rubies
Strong continued to look at her, without changing his expres-
sion.
“ Nevertheless, I apologise,” he said quietly. “ It is a man’s
role to offer an apology, I believe.”
She drew a deep breath.
“ I am sorry I cannot accept it. It is perhaps fair to warn you
that I never conceal anything from my husband,” she added over
her shoulder, as Strong moved towards the door.
He bowed, turning with his hand on the door-handle, and the
faintest smile on his lips. As he walked down the hall, the smile
deepened unpleasantly, and he wondered vaguely that he could at
the moment find her icily virtuous demeanour so grimly comic.
She saw the smile, and her lips whitened. Her heart beat fast
for anger. He was master of the situation. She, a woman of the
world, had been out-matched and despised by a green boy ! The
photograph she had given him lay on the mantel-piece. She
snatched it up with a sudden movement, tore it again and again,
and flung it on to the fire.
She stood motionless a moment, gazing at the leaping flames,
her eyebrows drawn together, then, in a frenzy of rage, she struck
her hand against the marble side of the fireplace.
It was bruised, and the pain brought tears to her eyes, as she
put it to her lips in a fury of self-pity. There was a step out-
side, the door-handle was turned, and her husband entered.
“ All in the dark, Bab ! ” he called cheerfully, stumbling against
a chair.
She turned from the fire, and went swiftly to meet him, breaking
into sobs.
Then, as he caught her in his arms with incoherent, wondering,
soothing words, she clung to him, caressing him.
“ Oh ! I wanted you so badly,” she murmured through her
tears.
Strong continued to look at her, without changing his expres-
sion.
“ Nevertheless, I apologise,” he said quietly. “ It is a man’s
role to offer an apology, I believe.”
She drew a deep breath.
“ I am sorry I cannot accept it. It is perhaps fair to warn you
that I never conceal anything from my husband,” she added over
her shoulder, as Strong moved towards the door.
He bowed, turning with his hand on the door-handle, and the
faintest smile on his lips. As he walked down the hall, the smile
deepened unpleasantly, and he wondered vaguely that he could at
the moment find her icily virtuous demeanour so grimly comic.
She saw the smile, and her lips whitened. Her heart beat fast
for anger. He was master of the situation. She, a woman of the
world, had been out-matched and despised by a green boy ! The
photograph she had given him lay on the mantel-piece. She
snatched it up with a sudden movement, tore it again and again,
and flung it on to the fire.
She stood motionless a moment, gazing at the leaping flames,
her eyebrows drawn together, then, in a frenzy of rage, she struck
her hand against the marble side of the fireplace.
It was bruised, and the pain brought tears to her eyes, as she
put it to her lips in a fury of self-pity. There was a step out-
side, the door-handle was turned, and her husband entered.
“ All in the dark, Bab ! ” he called cheerfully, stumbling against
a chair.
She turned from the fire, and went swiftly to meet him, breaking
into sobs.
Then, as he caught her in his arms with incoherent, wondering,
soothing words, she clung to him, caressing him.
“ Oh ! I wanted you so badly,” she murmured through her
tears.