Arm in arm they made the tour of inspection. In the bathroom Julie's eyes
danced. "Thank the Lord for that bath, Peter," she said. "I shall revel
in it. That's one thing I loathe about France, that one can't get decent
baths, and in the country here it's no better. I had two inches of water
in a foot-bath down in Sussex, and when you sit in the beastly thing only
about three inches of yourself get wet and those the least important
inches. I shall lie in this for hours and smoke, and you shall feed me
with chocolates and read to me. How will you like that?"
Peter made the only possible answer, and they went back to the bedroom.
The man was bringing up her luggage, and he deposited it on the
luggage-stool. "Heavens!" said Julie, "where are my keys? Oh, I know, in
my purse. I hope you haven't lost it. Do give it to me. The suit-case is
beautifully packed, but the trunk is in an appalling mess. I had to throw
my things in anyhow. By the way, I wonder what they'll make of different
initials on all our luggage? Not that it matters a scrap, especially
these days. Besides, I don't suppose they noticed."
She was on her knees by the trunk, and had undone it. She lifted the lid,
and Peter saw the confusion inside, and caught sight of the unfamiliar
clothes, Julie was rummaging everywhere. "I know I've left them behind!"
she exclaimed. "Whatever shall I do? My scent and powder-puff! Peter,
it's terrible! I can't go to Soho to dinner without them."
"Let's go and get some," he suggested; "there's time."
"No, I can't," she said. "You go. Don't be long. I want to sit in front
of the fire and be cosy."
Peter set off on the unfamiliar errand, smiling grimly to himself. He got
the scent easily enough, and then inquired for a powder-puff. In the old
days he would scarcely have dared; but he had been in France. He selected
a little French box with a mirror in the lid and a pretty rosebud
pattern, and paid for it unblushingly. Then he returned.
He opened the door of their sitting-room, and stood transfixed for a
minute. The shaded reading-lamp was on, the other lights off. The fire
glowed red, and Julie lay stretched out in a big chair, smoking a
cigarette. She turned and looked up at him over her shoulder. She had
taken off her dress and slipped on a silk kimono, letting her hair down,
which fell in thick tumbled masses about her. The arm that held the
cigarette was stretched up above her, and the wide, loose sleeve of the
kimono had slipped back, leaving it bare to her shoulder. Her white
frilled petticoat showed beneath, as she had pushed her feet out before
her to the warmth of the fire. Peter's blood pounded in his temples.
"Good boy," she said; "you haven't been long. Come and show me. I had to
get comfortable: I hope you don't mind."
He came slowly forward without a word and bent over her. The scent of her
rose intoxicatingly around him as he bent down for a kiss. Their lips
clung together, and the wide world stood still.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account