Fleur was by no means the old-fashioned daughter who demands the regulation of her parents' lives in accordance with the standard imposed upon herself. She claimed to regulate her own life, not those of others; besides, an unerring instinct for what was likely to advantage her own case was already at work. In a disturbed domestic atmosphere the heart she had set on Jon would have a better chance.
None the less was she offended, as a flower by a crisping wind. If that man had really been kissing her mother it was--serious, and her father ought to know. "Demain!" "All right!" And her mother going up to Town! She turned into her bedroom and hung out of the window to cool her face, which had suddenly grown very hot. Jon must be at the station by now! What did her father know about Jon? Probably everything--pretty nearly!
She changed her dress, so as to look as if she had been in some time, and ran up to the gallery.
Soames was standing stubbornly still before his Alfred Stevens--the picture he loved best. He did not turn at the sound of the door, but she knew he had heard, and she knew he was hurt. She came up softly behind him, put her arms round his neck, and poked her face over his shoulder till her cheek lay against his. It was an advance which had never yet failed, but it failed her now, and she augured the worst.
"Well," he said stonily, "so you've come!""Is that all," murmured Fleur, "from a bad parent?" And she rubbed her cheek against his.
Soames shook his head so far as that was possible.
"Why do you keep me on tenterhooks like this, putting me off and off?""Darling, it was very harmless.""Harmless! Much you know what's harmless and what isn't."Fleur dropped her arms.
"Well, then, dear, suppose you tell me; and be quite frank about it."And she went over to the window-seat.
Her father had turned from his picture, and was staring at his feet.
He looked very grey. 'He has nice small feet,' she thought, catching his eye, at once averted from her.
"You're my only comfort," said Soames suddenly, "and you go on like this."Fleur's heart began to beat.
"Like what, dear?"
Again Soames gave her a look which, but for the affection in it, might have been called furtive.
"You know what I told you," he said. "I don't choose to have anything to do with that branch of our family.""Yes, ducky, but I don't know why I shouldn't.
Soames turned on his heel.
"I'm not going into the reasons," he said; "you ought to trust me, Fleur!"The way he spoke those words affected Fleur, but she thought of Jon, and was silent, tapping her foot against the wainscot. Unconsciously she had assumed a modern attitude, with one leg twisted in and out of the other, with her chin on one bent wrist, her other arm across her chest, and its hand hugging her elbow; there was not a line of her that was not involuted, and yet--in spite of all--she retained a certain grace.
"You knew my wishes," Soames went on, "and yet you stayed on there four days. And I suppose that boy came with you to-day."Fleur kept her eyes on him.
"I don't ask you anything," said Soames; "I make no inquisition where you're concerned."Fleur suddenly stood up, leaning out at the window with her chin on her hands. The sun had sunk behind trees, the pigeons were perched, quite still, on the edge of the dove-cot; the click of the billiard-balls mounted, and a faint radiance shone out below where Jack Cardigan had turned the light up.
"Will it make you any happier," she said suddenly, "if I promise you not to see him for say--the next six weeks?" She was not prepared for a sort of tremble in the blankness of his voice.
"Six weeks? Six years--sixty years more like. Don't delude yourself, Fleur; don't delude yourself!"Fleur turned in alarm.
"Father, what is it?"
Soames came close enough to see her face.
"Don't tell me," he said, "that you're foolish enough to have any feeling beyond caprice. That would be too much!" And he laughed.
Fleur, who had never heard him laugh like that, thought: 'Then it is deep! Oh! what is it?' And putting her hand through his arm she said lightly:
"No, of course; caprice. Only, I like my caprices and I don't like yours, dear.""Mine!" said Soames bitterly, and turned away.
The light outside had chilled, and threw a chalky whiteness on the river. The trees had lost all gaiety of colour. She felt a sudden hunger for Jon's face, for his hands, and the feel of his lips again on hers. And pressing her arms tight across her breast she forced out a little light laugh.
"O la! la! What a small fuss! as Profond would say. Father, I don't like that man."She saw him stop, and take something out of his breast pocket.
"You don't?" he said. "Why?"