CHAPTER EIGHTGerald flung down his hat on the hall table, turned towards the drawing room and saw Lydia standing in the doorway.
She noticed that he was breathing heavily as though he had walked fast or run and that his patent leather shoes were covered with dust.
They stood looking at each other in the bright lights, Lydia a little pale, one hand was clutching her pale-pink dressing gown round her, the other holding the novel.
“I came down for a book,” she said lamely at last.
There was an embarrassed silence between them and then she added courageously,
“I also wanted to talk to you.”
“Now?” he asked.
“Ann has gone out – alone,” Lydia replied.
She saw that he did not understand. For all he knew, Ann might have gone to a party or be out with friends as she often was.
“I mean,” Ly
