The Moon out of Reach

flight of steps instead of taking the lift and, regaining the street, hailed a passin

ich his unexpected return to the flat had interrupted. There was only one deduction to be drawn

lways stand betwixt himself and Nan, yet loving her as he did, it had mea

to deliver Rooke's telegram, it had seemed almost as though Nan, too, ha

deeper-the knowledge that, though unavowed, they belonged to each other. And even a love that can never be satisfied is better than life without love. It may bring its moments of unbearable agony, but

sness that if he were to pit himself against Rooke he could probably make the latter's position very insecure. But was it fair? Was it fa

er her except a love that must always be forbidden, unconsummated. In God's Name, th

n. He would clear out-see as little of Nan as possible. It was the best thing he could d

limp which the war had left him seemed rather more marked than usual. Any great physical or nervous strain, inv

enjoying an iced lemon-squash and a cigarette, while Penelope and Barry were downstairs playing a

anks. What will you have? A whi

t of his face. He was rather pale and hi

wrong,

as she lay tucked up

there be any

cidedly. "Did I swish you away f

l person if I failed to appre

her head d

!" she returned. "You invariab

s steady grey-blue eyes-"dear Madame Kitty, I say to you what I mean. I d

unusually pronounced, as alway

mphatically. "You're not trusting me

nothing you'd wish to

arently yielding the point. "So we'll switch off that subject and get on to the next. We go down to

the ground. Then he raised his head sudden

be able to come dow

ected Kitty. "Peter, you c

d her grav

ne has to do

at "something wrong" she had suspected, clasped her

omise without some real good reason. You say

er eyes

swer that,"

mained o

ime now, and"-with vigour-"I'm not going to be kept

slipped down from the Chest

ly, her thoughts going back to the talk she had

ry smile cur

use trying to keep you

e urged. Adding w

you weren't coming just because you didn't want to. B

his control suddenly snapping

g tones she knew so well-let in a flood of light

lously. "You're not-you don't mean

ld be with her much without

thought of that when I asked you to be a p

weary, half-tenderly amused sm

. "I shall never be sorry that I love her. It's only that just

need

u'll have to trust me over that-but I do know that Maryon Rooke has

pondered the question whether Peter

she 'needs' him at all. I dare-say he still fascinates her. He has"-she hesitated-"a c

hat I could," he

to his. "You've been splendid! That's just wh

Rooke is

ittle note of haughtiness in her voice. "I certain

vent him from taking

nn

illage on the Cornish coast, bar

bert Burnham lives quite near there-he's Maryon's

hy

h he was entitled and declined to have anything further to do with him-either financially or otherwise. Simply chucked him. Maryon went through some very bad times,

iling-"that that's the type of man who's going to give in over winning the

ughed re

art counts first of anything in the wide world. And that's why I don't think he'll come to St. Wennys. He's in lo

then went

us this year. Look, if Rooke doesn't show up down there, so that we know he's only

d for Nan she recognised that it would be a bitterly hard thing for him to be under the same roof with the woman he loved, yet from whom he was barred by every law of God and man, and who, as far as Kitty knew, regarded him

very subdued tone of voice and wi

ly of ourselves. I believe it's your own fault"-with a rather quavering lau

a quick gestu

how hard a thing I was asking when I begged you to come down to Mallow while Nan was with

can never be more to each other than we are now-just friends. I'm not going to forfeit that friendship-unless it happens it would be best for Nan that we shoul

he undertone of pain ru

s were flowi

ngly. "Why aren't you free? You and

though she had laid h

"Don't cry so! These things hap

nto a chair and

a woman like Celia-a woman who's got no more soul

ike that, either," chided Pet

the voices of Barry and Penelope could be heard as

in his easy, good-natured tones. "You beat

denly conscious of h

-not now! Peter, stop

he room and met the approaching coup

to Kitty," began Penelope. "I'd no

society," m

set, but he managed to reply in

a few minutes before dressing for dinner. She a

said Barry cheerily. "Peter, old son, can the car take

itty, and, gently as her fingers had probed, even the kind hands of a friend may sometimes hurt e

e answered jerk