Free The Chinese Shawl by Patricia Wentworth

many bitter years. It hurt—it hurt dreadfully. To say something, she spoke falteringly.
    “It’s—a wonderful portrait. We have copies of my father’s and mother’s at home. I don’t know who did them.”
    There were a great many questions she would have liked to ask, but Miss Silver picked up a brightly flowered knitting-bag from the floor beside her and got up.
    “I promised to show Agnes a new knitting stitch,” she said, and moved away towards the invalid chair.
    Laura joined Petra and Carey, but she had no sooner done so than Petra whisked round and went to meet Alistair, who had given up his place to Miss Maud Silver. It was the last thing that Laura would have planned, but having the opportunity thrust upon her, she had an overwhelming impulse to make use of it. She said low and quick,
    “Carey, it’s dreadful. Cousin Agnes has been talking to me, and she thinks you and Tanis are engaged.”
    He laughed, but his eyes were angry.
    “How do you know she thinks so?”
    “Because she told me. She said you would be giving it out almost at once.”
    “Oh, will we? She’ll have to think again!”
    Laura’s hands held one another tightly.
    “You mustn’t speak to me, or come near me, or—anything. Don’t you see how dreadful it is? Whatever happens, don’t you see, it’s going to look as if I had come between you— just like my mother did. Carey—”
    He said quickly, “Don’t get worked up.” Then, raising his voice, “You can see the end wall of the Priory from those windows. Come and have a look.”
    Laura said, “But it will be dark—” She was frightened and bewildered.
    Carey took her by the arm.
    “That’s the best way to see a ruin. There’s always some light from the sky. Come along!”
    Lucy Adams turned her head to say, “It’s much too cold to go outside.”
    Carey sent her a laughing, “Oh, we’re not going out.” He took Laura to the end of the room and, parting the curtains of the left-hand window, made way for her to pass between them. It was so quickly and publicly done that she could think of no way of holding back. He followed her and dropped the curtain behind them. They were alone, with darkness veiling the world beyond the window. An icy chill struck inward from the glass. Carey said, still in that raised voice,
    “You must give your eyes a minute or two, then they’ll begin to see again.” He dropped to something that was only just sound. “You’re not to worry—do you hear? It’s going to be all right.”
    “I don’t see how.”
    His arm was round her shoulders.
    “Well, I do. Tanis has got us into this mess—she must do something about it. I’ll have it out with her—tonight if I can.” His voice rose again. “Are you beginning to see anything? There’s the west end of the church on your right. A little later in the year the moon shines through what’s left of the rose window. It looks very fine.”
    Dark shapes began to emerge from the general gloom— the high shape of a broken wall, and a black heaped mass of trees. Carey’s arm held her close, and felt that she was trembling. His hand came under her chin, and his lips came down on hers in a long kiss. When he let her go he said in a hard, determined whisper,
    “That’s to remember me by. I’d kill anyone who came between us. You’re mine, and don’t you forget it.”
    The next moment he was holding the curtain again and they were coming back into the room.
    Laura felt dazed and shaken. She had the sensation of having been caught up in a sweeping tide which without any will or volition of her own was carrying her along. She had neither the wish nor the power to resist. She could not look at Carey, but she had to face the room. She saw Petra standing alone, looking at a book which she had taken up. With a feeling of relief she joined her.
    chapter 12
    Carey Desborough walked straight up to Tanis and said bluntly,
    “Can I see you for a moment? There’s something I want to talk to you