He put his arm around her with careless friendliness and helped her to
her feet. "What a place this will be for your boy to play. He can be
cast away on a desert island and surrounded by wild animals every day
in the week." His voice was so kind that her anger of two hours ago
seemed impossible--a mistake, a misunderstanding! She tried in a
bewildered way to get back to it in her own mind, but he was so matter
of fact about the stuffed animals and the little boy and the desert
island, that she could only say vaguely, "Yes, it would be nice, but
of course I'm not going to take him."
"Well now, that's just what I want to talk to you about," he said,
watching her through his long, curling eyelashes. "That's why I came
down to Old Chester--"
"Oh, is it?"
He checked an impatient exclamation, and then went on: "When I got
your letter about this boy, I was really delighted.--Let's go out into
the sunshine; the smell of this place is very disagreeable.--I think
you would find the child company; I really hope you will take him."
His voice was sincere and she softened.
"It's kind of you, Lloyd, to urge it. But no, it won't do."
"My dear, of course it will do. You'll give him a good home, and--"
"No, no, I can't; you know I can't."
"My dear Nelly! What possible harm could you do the child?"
She drew away from him sharply. "I do him any harm! I! Oh--you
wouldn't have said such a thing, once!" She pressed the back of her
hand against her lips, and Lloyd Pryor studiously looked in another
direction.
"What have I said? That you wouldn't do him any harm? Is there
anything unkind in that? Look here, Nell, you really mustn't be so
unreasonable. There is nothing a man hates so much as a fool. I am
merely urging something for your pleasure. He would be company for
you; I thought him quite an attractive youngster."
"And you wouldn't have me so much on your mind? You wouldn't feel you
had to come and see me so often!"
"Well, if you want to put it that way," he said coldly. "I'm a very
busy man. I can't get off whenever I feel like it."
"And you can't leave your beloved Alice."
He shot a blue gleam at her from under his heavy eyelids. "No; I
can't."