To free her arm from his hand she obeyed him, and with an effort to appear very much at her ease looked about her.
"You like it? I thought you would. Look at the picture over the sideboard."
It was a large print--much too large for the room--of "The Last Sleep of Argyle," and was faced on the opposite wall by a reproduction of "The Execution of Montrose."
"They're proof prints," he told her proudly. "I remember you went to see those pictures, years ago, when they were on show in Brockenham, and liked them. I've had the chairs covered with red leather 'stead of horsehair. It costs more, but you used to say red was cheerful."
"In the drawing-room there is a piano. Come and see."
She went, because of that strange new peremptoriness of manner which she felt she had not the moral courage to disobey. The drawing-room had fresh flowers in a vase upon the centre table.
"Did you put the flowers there, Mr. Gibbon?"
"I put them there every day. For you. I have been waiting for you to come to see them. Everything is always ready. You like it all?"
"It is yours, then. It is all for you. From cowl on the chimney-pot--the kitchen-chimney smoked; I thought it would be inconvenient--to the bunch of honeysuckle on the table. All yours."
"All yours. Every carpet has been laid down for you, every chair and table bought. Every seed has been sown, every tree planted. For you."
Deleah, speechless for the moment, looked at the man with eyes grown wide with dismay. His was no tragic figure. He wore the light-coloured, large checked suit affected at that period by young men escaping temporarily from the black-frocked livery of shop or office, his hair was brushed smoothly back and shone with brilliantine, his moustache was glossy with the same admired preparation. His face was extra pale, but Deleah knew it had the trick of paling suddenly and for small cause. She had seen it blanch at a chance encounter with her in the street, or accidental touching of her hand by his. She avoided meeting his eyes--those eyes said to hold something in their expression which redeemed his face from the commonplace--and the wild ardour of their gaze was lost upon her.
"Everything is yours, Deleah; when will you come and take it over?"