Chapter 15

           "Whatisityouaregivingup?"demandedRosemary,facingDickearnestlyinthetaxi.

           "Nothingofimportance."

           "Areyouascientist?"

           "I’madoctorofmedicine."

           "Oh-h!"shesmileddelightedly."Myfatherwasadoctortoo.Thenwhydon’tyou—"shestopped.

           "There’snomystery.Ididn’tdisgracemyselfattheheightofmycareer,andhideawayontheRiviera.I’mjustnotpractising.Youcan’ttell,I’llprobablypractiseagainsomeday."

           Rosemaryputupherfacequietlytobekissed.Helookedatherforamomentasifhedidn’tunderstand.Thenholdingherinthehollowofhisarmherubbedhischeekagainsthercheek’ssoftness,andthenlookeddownatherforanotherlongmoment.

           "Suchalovelychild,"hesaidgravely.

           Shesmiledupathim;herhandsplayingconventionallywiththelapelsofhiscoat."I’minlovewithyouandNicole.Actuallythat’smysecret—Ican’teventalkaboutyoutoanybodybecauseIdon’twantanymorepeopletoknowhowwonderfulyouare.Honestly—IloveyouandNicole—Ido."

           —Somanytimeshehadheardthis—eventheformulawasthesame.

           Suddenlyshecametowardhim,heryouthvanishingasshepassedinsidethefocusofhiseyesandhehadkissedherbreathlesslyasifshewereanyageatall.Thenshelaybackagainsthisarmandsighed.

           "I’vedecidedtogiveyouup,"shesaid.

           Dickstarted—hadhesaidanythingtoimplythatshepossessedanypartofhim?

           "Butthat’sverymean,"hemanagedtosaylightly,"justwhenIwasgettinginterested."