" I try to .sx " " How splendid , " said Gerry .sx " Where does she live ?sx " " In London .sx Golders Green .sx " " And that's your home as well ?sx " " Yes .sx " " And how old is your sister ?sx " " Thirty .sx " " Older than you are ?sx " " Yes .sx Three years .sx .. " He broke off .sx They had reached the house .sx " Forgive me if I leave you now , " he said .sx How stiffly he said it .sx How coldly he looked at her .sx And she thought of the warmth in his eyes and in his voice when he had spoken of his sister's children .sx It was like a marble statue coming to life .sx She thought , luxuriously , that it would be rather marvellous to infuse such warmth into Nicholas Hulme .sx .. to be capable of bringing such a light to his eyes .sx She achieved that sort of thing with other men , she knew , without effort .sx Too easily .sx There was an urge in her now to make Nicholas Hulme like other men .sx He had thawed just a little , down there in the woods .sx But not enough .sx He said " Good night , " and was gone .sx She frowned and walked into the drawing-room , engrossed by the thought of him .sx Her father sat in an arm-chair , studying a pamphlet , horn-rimmed glasses on the end of his nose and the pamphlet held well up to the table-lamp beside him .sx He was growing short-sighted .sx Mrs. Wayde sat on the sofa surrounded by squares of canvas and patterns and a selection of coloured wools in a pink satin brocade bag .sx She also wore horn-rims .sx Her fat , over-painted face assumed a tragic expression when she looked at her daughter .sx " Mon Dieu , darling , but you must be crazy to walk in the garden in those shoes .sx Look - they are soaking .sx Take them off .sx Tout de .sx suite , cherie .sx " Gerry hunched her shoulders .sx " Good Lord , what does it matter ?sx " she said crossly .sx " I'll get pneumonia and die , and who cares ?sx " " What on earth's the matter with you , Gerry ?sx " said Mrs. Wayde in a thoroughly English voice .sx She invariably dropped the affectation of French when she was cross .sx " You need not speak so rudely to your mother .sx " Gerry took not the slightest notice of this .sx She took off her scarf and trailed it on the floor .sx " What are you working on ?sx " she asked .sx " A seat for that period chair in my bedroom .sx Come and help me choose the colours , cherie .sx " But Gerry rejected this offer and announced that she was tired , and went to bed .sx This alarmed her mother .sx As a rule Gerry never went to bed before eleven .sx Upstairs , Gerry paused outside Nicholas Hulme's door .sx She pictured him writing in there - running his strong , thin fingers through that jet-black mop of hair .sx She had a sudden sensuous vision of those fingers running through her hair .sx What was the matter with her ?sx Why this new , crazy wish to establish some sort of intimacy between her father's secretary and herself ?sx Nothing but pique .sx .. because he ignored her .sx And yet .sx .. there was an attraction about him .sx .. a very strong one , of which she had only recently become conscious .sx She had everything in this house that she wanted - most things outside of it - most people - for her natural charm and beauty and energy drew members of both sexes to her side .sx She was a girl of many friends .sx But the one thing she could not get was open admiration from Nicholas Hulme .sx He was the one person she seemed unable to win over to her side .sx She walked past his door into her room , amazed at the effect his continued reticence was having upon her .sx `You're a little beast , Gerry Wayde,' she reproached herself .sx `Leave him alone !sx ' But what vain woman has ever been able to leave a man alone when he is the only one in her particular world who shuns her ?sx Certainly not Gerry who was wilful and spoiled .sx But let it be said that , when she made up her mind to break through Nicholas Hulme's reticence before she was finished with him , she did not stop to consider the unfairness of it .sx She did not realise for a single moment that she was endangering him and his position in this house .sx It never struck her - because she was a careless , inconsequent child - that there would be any danger .sx She only wanted to satisfy her vanity and make him `nice to her .sx ' Beyond that she did not look .sx But Nicholas Hulme looked - and saw what might happen .sx And that was why he fled from her and his own senses , which could easily be stirred by so much beauty and charm .sx Her vanity would have been considerably fed if she could have known that he worked no more on his play that night , but paced up .sx and down his room .sx .. remembering the softness of her arm against his .sx .. the fragrance of her hair .sx .. the seduction of her , down there in the woods .sx How was a man to work ?sx `Damn women and sex,' said Nicholas Hulme to himself savagely , before he went to sleep that night .sx CHAPTER V .sx THAT next week-end - about three days after Gerry had walked with Nicholas Hulme through the woods - the Waydes entertained a house-party .sx During the summer months Ponders was nearly always full of guests from Friday night till Monday .sx And as a rule Gerry enjoyed her parties .sx But this particular week-end she was more bored than if she had been alone .sx It was not that her especial friends were absent .sx They were there .sx Sir George and Lady Withambury and their estimable son Ivor who - despite his incurable desire to kiss Gerry - danced marvellously and amused her when she was in the mood to deal with his facetiousness .sx Phyllis Crozier , who had been at Roedean College with Gerry - a pretty and amusing creature , who at twenty-two was an experienced woman of the world who had twice been engaged and was now contemplating a third venture .sx Then there was Lieut .sx -Commander Edward Harrage , R.N. , the third and very good-looking fiance of Phyllis .sx An old crony of Mrs. Wayde's ; and a young politician - a friend of father's , likely , he assured the family , to distinguish himself at the next election .sx A big party - an amusing and varied one .sx There was plenty of excellent tennis .sx Tea under the famous Ponders oak which spread its mighty branches over the velvety lawn in front of the house .sx Long drinks , short drinks , a variety of drinks , about six o'clock .sx Time for rest in one's bedroom ; then a first-rate dinner - the Waydes had a remarkable French cook .sx Afterwards , dancing in the wide , oak-panelled lounge , or even on the moonlit lawn , since the weather remained so warm .sx Gerry - the prettiest girl in the party - the young hostess -flattered , admired , sought after - should have enjoyed herself .sx But she was preoccupied and dull - for Gerry .sx She frowned more often than she smiled .sx She refused to `run around' with Ivor Withambury .sx She had little to say to father's distinguished politician .sx She avoided any heart-to-heart talks with her friend Phyllis .sx Mrs. Wayde - amiable , chattering without ceasing , full of French affectations -floated around , telling everybody that darling Gerry was not well .sx But Gerry looked perfectly well and played tennis energetically , if nothing else .sx So nobody knew what was the matter , and Mrs. Wayde least of all .sx But Gerry knew .sx And she was ashamed of herself , but at the same time unable to control that maddening little feeling of pique , of thwarted vanity , that pricked at her during that week-end and `spoiled her fun .sx ' Her thoughts ran continually to her father's secretary .sx Nicholas made himself scarce during that house-party .sx He appeared at meal-time .sx He had to do that .sx But he avoided Gerry's eye .sx Nothing she could do made him look her way or pay her the slightest attention .sx She could feel that he was deliberately ignoring her .sx To be ignored in that way was altogether a new and hateful experience for Gerry .sx It reduced her to a state of nerves and irritability .sx She told herself that she hated Nicholas Hulme .sx He was a prig .sx A fool .sx What did she care for him ?sx He was only a paid secretary in this house .sx Let him get on with his work and his hateful play and keep his distance .sx What did she care ?sx But she did care .sx Strangely .sx And from Friday till Sunday she brooded over Nicholas Hulme's treatment of her .sx Every time he disappeared from the circle , she knew that he had either gone to her father's study to work for him , or up to his bedroom to write .sx Every night , after dinner , he vanished upstairs .sx Gerry watched him go and felt an absurd desire to command him to come back ; to come down and dance .sx Sunday night came .sx Gerry danced with Ivor Withambury or with Edward Harrage .sx The latter danced beautifully and was a fresh-complexioned , attractive young man who bore the clean , buoyant mark of the sea .sx But she found herself thinking of Nicholas Hulme .sx With that tall , slimly built body of his he ought to dance well .sx How stern he had looked at dinner tonight .sx Never once had he looked her way .sx He had sat next to Phyllis and talked - in much more friendly fashion than he had talked to her , Gerry decided .sx Phyllis had said afterwards :sx " Your father's secretary is rather a lamb , Gerry .sx Where do you keep him ?sx Isn't he ever on view except at meal-time ?sx " " No , " was Gerry's brief answer .sx " He's got the most intriguing eyes and the blackest hair , " observed Phyllis .sx " I'd be quite thrilled with him if I wasn't in love with darling Eddy .sx " Gerry made no answer to this .sx But she decided mentally that she would never be thrilled with Nicholas Hulme .sx He was cold and rude and insupportable .sx She couldn't stop thinking about him , all the same .sx During the evening , when she was walking through the hall , she ran up against him .sx He came out of Mr. Wayde's study with a long , official-looking envelope in his hand .sx He bowed politely to Gerry and would have passed her , but she placed herself in front of him .sx " Mr. Hulme , why don't you chuck work and come and dance , " she said .sx " It's exceedingly kind of you , but I want to work , " he said in a formal voice .sx She bit her lip .sx " Surely for once the play can wait .sx " " I'm anxious to finish it , if you don't mind .sx " Gerry's fingers clenched on the diamante bag she was carrying .sx So he was obstinate !sx Her powers of persuasion were absolutely lost on this man .sx She felt unreasonably angry .sx Her cheeks burned with colour .sx " You decline every invitation I make , Mr. Hulme .sx You are really not very polite .sx " The pale face of the man coloured now .sx He said :sx " I must apologise if I seem rude .sx But I don't dance , and I must work on my play .sx It means a great deal to me .sx " It infuriated Gerry that she should mean nothing .sx She said nothing for the moment .sx She tapped one small , satin-shod foot on the floor .sx Nicholas Hulme gave her a swift glance and looked away .sx Why the devil couldn't she leave him in peace ?sx Wasn't the lounge full of men ?sx That young fool , Withambury , with his facetious , drawling voice and double-breasted waistcoat and narrow trousers and all the latest jokes - no doubt he wanted to dance with Gerry .sx There were others - men who could afford to laze and amuse themselves .sx He was working ; working to finish the play that meant so much to him ; that might mean everything in the future for himself and Macil and the kids .sx He wanted release from the kind of position he held in this household .sx Not that it wasn't well-paid and comfortable - what a lot of fellows would call a damn soft job .sx But he wanted freedom ; time to write .sx That could only be secured if he could save money and slave at his dramas - work every second of his spare .sx time .sx It might be very pleasant to dawdle away a few hours with Gerry .sx She was the daughter of his employer .sx Charming , beautiful .sx She was the loveliest creature in the party .sx Oh , yes , he knew it .sx