Dressmakers -- Fiction; Love stories; Young women -- Fiction
"Sal-ly!" Again Gaga wailed. He tried to pull her down to him, gently
and coaxingly. In a sort of hysteria, Sally jerked herself free, looking
steadily away. Her mouth was open, and brooding resolve was in her eyes.
She was not tragic; she was in confusion, set only upon a single
purpose, and otherwise passively in distress. Obstinately she repulsed
him.
"It's no good talking. We _must_ go. I'm ill, as well as you. The doctor
says we must both go away. At once." She was so resolute that Gaga could
not resist her. He lay quite still, and for that reason she was forced
to look down at him. To Sally's surprise there was upon Gaga's face an
expression of such sweetness that she was almost touched. He loved her.
"There!" she murmured, as if to a baby; and bent and kissed him. Gaga
kissed her several times in return and continued to watch her, still
with that strange expression of kindness that was almost worship. He
stirred at last.
"I'll get up," he said. "I'll get up now. It's a ... it's a fine idea.
We'll catch the morning train, if we hurry. We'll be ... be there in
time for lunch."
Sally was in such a whirl of thankfulness that she flew to her dressing
and packing. She and Gaga were both downstairs and at breakfast within
half-an-hour, seated at the big dining-table, and looking very small in
that great room. As they sat, Gaga was so happy that he repented of his
promise to go away, and wanted to remain at ease in such pleasant
circumstances. He began to think of reasons why they should not go away
at all. He spoke with regret of the new flat, of their preparations ...
even of the business. But already Sally was upon her feet. A few
minutes later she was telephoning to Miss Summers explaining the sudden
change of situation; and then immediately began to pack. It was not a
difficult task. She herself had few things to take away. Presently Gaga
joined idly in the work; and the two of them neatly folded his clothes
and slipped into his dressing-case the articles he was bound to need
while they were away.
"My medicine!" exclaimed Gaga, clutching at an excuse.
"Got enough for to-day; and I've got the prescription." Sally was grim.
She was more--she was driven by instinct. It was essential that they
should go immediately. For one thing Toby might return, and any thought
of Toby was so horrible to her at this moment, when her first hatred was
giving way to uncontrollable longing for him, that it was like a
scourge. And for another thing Sally was in terror of the nightmare
temptation. She was fighting against that with all the strength that
remained. Even now, if she looked at Gaga, she shuddered deeply.
"What's the time?" called Gaga.
"Miriam ... telephone for a cab!" Sally was simultaneously giving
instructions to a servant. She went to a desk in which she kept money,
and found that she had very little remaining. "Bert, got any money?
Well, your cheque book?"
"In the study."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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