“Don’t you?”
Elinor said:
“It was silly of me—I tell you—I’m nervous.”
Peter Lord said:
“I’ll write you out a tonic.”
Elinor said incisively:
“How useful!”
He grinned disarmingly.
“Quite useless, I agree. But it’s the only thing one can do when people won’t tell one what is the matter with them!”
Elinor said:
“There’s nothing the matter with me.”
Peter Lord said calmly:
“There’s quite a lot the matter with you.”
Elinor said:
“I’ve had a certain amount of nervous strain, I suppose….”
He said:
“I expect you’ve had quite a lot. But that’s not what I’m talking about.” He paused. “Are you—are you staying down here much longer?”
“I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“You won’t—live down here?”
Elinor shook her head.
“No—never. I think—I think—I shall sell the place if I can get a good offer.”
Dr. Lord said rather flatly:
“I see….”
Elinor said:
“I must be getting home now.”
She held out her hand firmly. Peter Lord took it. He held it. He said very earnestly:
“Miss Carlisle, will you please tell me what was in your mind when you laughed just now?”
She wrenched her hand away quickly.
“What should there be in my mind?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”