"Shall I do you credit?" she asked him softly over her shoulder, as
he held her wrap for her.
Her heart beat hard as she said it. She felt as if she was going
into open battle, and she wanted all the heartening she could get.
"Tell me now that you like me better than you do Gail Maddox!" was
what she wanted to say. But she knew she couldn't, not without being
thought a cat. "I can't get over finding motors scattered all over
everything!" was what she heard herself saying inconsequently
instead as they went out. She did not dare give him time to answer
her first impulsive question.
But he answered it just the same.
"You do me great credit, my dear. I never knew you were quite so
beautiful." He said it gravely, but none the less sincerely. "It's
very pleasant to remember that I have property rights to such a
charming person."
Property rights! Joy's heart gave a little warm jump. If he could
say that--if he could even seem to forget that she was only rented,
so to speak...
Before she thought she had reached up and caught his hand in a warm,
furtive grasp for a moment. She took it away again directly, but it
had comforted her to touch him. He was so strong and so _there_....
Also, Viola's words comforted her; if she looked like a vampire, why,
maybe, with the aid of the wishing ring and Aunt Lucilla's ghost,
she could live up to it. Having her hair done as high and her dress
cut as low as anybody's also gave her courage.
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