Free The Devil's Cocktail by Alexander Wilson Page A

disgracefully since the night of the dance,’ she said. ‘You appear to have been avoiding me.’
    â€˜I have felt rather embarrassed, Miss Gregson,’ replied Hugh, with an effort; ‘that is why!’
    â€˜Surely not,’ she said coyly. ‘You and I understand each other too well for that, don’t we? And why am I Miss Gregson now?’
    â€˜Because that is your name,’ he said brightly.
    â€˜But – but I was Olive the other night!’
    Joan uttered a sound expressive of disgust.
    â€˜I wouldn’t think of calling you by your Christian name,’ said Shannon.
    â€˜But I asked you to!’
    â€˜Did you?’
    â€˜Oh, Hugh! Don’t you remember?’ She looked at him reproachfully, and he blanched.
    â€˜I – I do remember something to that effect,’ he said.
    â€˜You are being very, very cruel, Hugh! Your sister will think awful things of poor little me.’
    â€˜Why should I?’ asked Joan coldly.
    â€˜You saw us in a – a rather intimate attitude the other night,’ replied Miss Gregson, ‘and now Hugh seems to be almost ashamed of telling you—’
    â€˜Telling me what?’ demanded Joan, while Hugh stared at her in apprehension.
    Miss Gregson hid her face with great shyness.
    â€˜It is hardly the girl’s place to announce an engagement,’ she murmured.
    â€˜What!’ shouted Hugh. Joan clung to the railing in amazement and dismay.
    Miss Gregson looked up at the former, and her eyes were filled with tears, while her mouth drooped pathetically at the corners.
    â€˜Do you mean to say that you were only playing with me?’ she asked, a note of agitation in her voice.
    â€˜My dear girl,’ said Hugh, gulping hard. ‘I have never given you the slightest reason for thinking that we – we are engaged.’
    At that her whole manner changed, her eyes flashed, and her body stiffened. She made no attempt to drop her voice, and Hugh noticed with horror, that several of their fellow passengers were gazing curiously in their direction.
    â€˜So that is the kind of man you are,’ she said. ‘You lead me on and, in my innocence and trust, I grow to – to love you, and then you laugh at me, and throw me aside!’
    â€˜How dare you accuse my brother of such a thing!’ cried Joan, trembling with indignation.
    â€˜And you,’ went on Miss Gregson to Joan; ‘you have all along been against me!’ Her manner once again changed; the tears sprang to her eyes. ‘You – you have broken my heart, Hugh!’ she sobbed.
    â€˜I say I’m awfully sorry if you misunderstood anything I have said or done,’ muttered poor Hugh.
    â€˜Don’t be an idiot!’ hissed Joan to him.
    â€˜It is no use pretending you’re sorry now,’ said Miss Gregson in a shrill voice. ‘You have made me the laughing stock of the ship, and you’ll be sorry in reality for all this before I have done with you!’
    And with this threat she turned and stalked off, and down the gangway. A few yards away Hudson was standing smiling sardonically.
    Hugh and Joan looked at each other in dismay.
    â€˜What an awful woman!’ said the latter.
    â€˜Good Lord!’ muttered Hugh. ‘What on earth have I done to make her think that—’
    â€˜Say!’ said a voice behind them. ‘That was the cutest bit of playacting I’ve seen for some time.’
    They turned and beheld Mr Oscar Julius Miles, an American passenger, who had embarked at Port Said. He was tall and very thin with a gaunt face and deep-set grey eyes, but his mouth was almost eloquent of kindliness and good humour. His hair was a nondescript sort of colour, and he wore tortoise-shell rimmed glasses; his clothes obviously had been made by a first-class tailor, and he wore them with an air of distinction. He looked about thirty-five, but might have been younger. He raised his broad-brimmed