"It's either now or never," said Ann Veronica, again ascending
this stile. "Much as I hate rows, I've either got to make a
stand or give in altogether."
She seated herself in a loose and easy attitude and surveyed the
backs of the Avenue houses; then her eyes wandered to where the
new red-and-white villas peeped among the trees. She seemed to
be making some sort of inventory. "Ye Gods!" she said at last.
"WHAT a place!
"Stuffy isn't the word for it.
"I wonder what he takes me for?"
When presently she got down from the stile a certain note of
internal conflict, a touch of doubt, had gone from her
warm-tinted face. She had now the clear and tranquil expression
of one whose mind is made up. Her back had stiffened, and her
hazel eyes looked steadfastly ahead.
As she approached the corner of the Avenue the blond, no-hatted
man in gray flannels appeared. There was a certain air of forced
fortuity in his manner. He saluted awkwardly. "Hello, Vee!" he
said.
"Hello, Teddy!" she answered.
He hung vaguely for a moment as she passed.
But it was clear she was in no mood for Teddys. He realized that
he was committed to the path across the fields, an uninteresting
walk at the best of times.
"Oh, dammit!" he remarked, "dammit!" with great bitterness as he
faced it.
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