Peeking Under the Covers

  Chapter 6 continued... Truly, it was a pleasure for him to see her again, for he found her a very attractive, petite individual. Instinctively, he showed himself eager to be at her side. The delight of his dilettantism met her beautiful youthful smile, and the brightness of her brown eyes lit up when he spoke to her. To hear her speak, awakened Georges’s lively manner, and the memories of their common stay at Le Castel, but he took no interest in the general conversation. “Listening to you talk, I find I’m rediscovering you all over again,” he said suddenly, with a smile. “But just now, in the Rue de Prony, you seemed quite a different person, a very striking person.” She blushed a little. “Then I looked serious, like a lady?” she asked, amused. “Yes, so much so that for a second I hesitated to recognize you.” Suzy's blush increased, flushing to her forehead, which had been so white under her unruly brown locks. “No doubt you were surprised to see me alone. It was the first time ...

Chapter 6 continued... Then, without further hesitation, Suzy boldly took the road, which would lead her to Madame Arnay's, resigned to accept the departure for Cannes if Lady Graham still desired her for a traveling companion. But in the depths of her heart, in spite of all her resolutions, the little girl inside Suzy fervently wished that the young woman would not desire her to go. Mme. Arnay had not yet resumed her day in an official manner. Her close friends—and they were numerous, since Mme. Arnay had a manner—one open wide to understanding closeness — and one always knew how to find it on Thursdays with the striking of four o'clock. And in fact, when Suzy pushed aside the door of the large salon of Mme. Arnay’s, the room was already filled with visitors who spoke nothing of importance with plenty of smiles, even wit, on occasion. Seated by the fireplace, enveloped by the flattering shade of a low screen, Madame Arnay spoke in the pretty jargon of a socialite who was up to...