The three of them, Rodney and the Lakes, at the foot of the
stairs, in the clothes they had been working and traveling in all day,
looked up simultaneously and saw Rose, gowned for a treat for Rodney, on
the first landing; a wonderful rose-colored Boucher tapestry (guaranteed
authentic by Bertie Willis) on the wall behind her for a background, and
the carved Gothic newel-post bringing out the whiteness of the hand that
rested upon it. The picture would have won a moment's silence from
anybody. And Barry and Jane simply gazed at her wide-eyed.
[Illustration: "Oh, my dear! I didn't know!"]
Rodney was the first to speak. "It's really the Lakes, Rose. I couldn't
quite believe it till I saw them. And the lady on the landing," he went
on, turning to his guests, "is really my wife. It's all a little
incredible, isn't it?"
When the greetings were over and they were on the way up-stairs again,
he said: "I told Rose we weren't going to dress, but she explained she
didn't put on this coronation robe for you, but for a treat for me
before I telephoned, and hadn't time to change back.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260