Chapter 27

           TheyhadbeenrehearsingforafortnightwhenRogerarrivedfromAustria.HehadbeenspendingafewweeksonaCarinthianlake,andafteradayortwoinLondonwastogoandstaywithfriendsinScotland.SinceMichaelhadtodineearlytogotothetheatreJuliawenttomeethimbyherself.Whenshewasdressing,Evie,sniffingasusual,toldherthatshewastakingasmuchpainstomakeherselflookniceasifsheweregoingtomeetayoungman.ShewantedRogertobeproudofher,andcertainlyshelookedveryyoungandprettyinhersummerfrockasshestrolledupanddowntheplatform.Youwouldhavethought,butwrongly,thatshewasperfectlyunconsciousoftheattentionsheattracted.Roger,afteramonthinthesun,wasverybrown,buthewasstillratherspottyandheseemedthinnerthanwhenhehadleftLondonattheNewYear.Shehuggedhimwithexuberantaffection.Hesmiledslightly.

           Theyweretodinebythemselves.Juliaaskedhimifhewouldliketogotoaplayafterwardsortothepictures,buthesaidhepreferredtostayathome.

           "That’llbemuchnicer,"sheanswered,"andwe’lljusttalk."

           TherewasindeedasubjectthatMichaelhadinvitedhertodiscusswithRogerwhentheopportunityarose.NowthathewasgoingtoCambridgesosoonheoughttomakeuphismindwhathewantedtodo.Michaelwasafraidthathewoulddriftthroughhistimethereandthengointoabroker’sofficeorevenonthestage.