Louis Joseph Vance

Linda Lee, Incorporated Louis Joseph Vance

Publisher Marketing: I "Mrs. Bellamy Druce! Rather a mouthful, that." "Is that why you make a face over it?" "Didn't expect me to relish it, did you, Cinda?" "I'm afraid I wasn't thinking of you at all, Dobbin, when I took it." "Meaning, if you had been, you might have thought twice before taking?" "No fear: I was much too madly in love with Bel." "Was?" "Dobbin!" "Sorry-didn't mean to be impertinent." "I don't believe you. Still, I'm so fond of you, I'll forgive you-this once." "Won't have to twice. I only-well, naturally, I wanted to know whether or not it had taken." "Taken?" "Your matrimonial inoculation." "I think one may safely say it has. I've grown so old and wise in marriage, it really seems funny to remember I was ever an innocent." "Four years--" "Going on five." "It's seemed a long time to me, too, Cinda-five years since these eyes were last made glad by the sight of you." "At least, time hasn't impaired your knack at pretty speeches." "Nor your power to inspire them." "I'm not so sure. To myself I seem ever so much older." Lucinda Druce turned full face to the man on her left, anxiety feigned or real puckering the delicately pencilled brows. "Doesn't it show at all, Dobbin, the ruthless march of advancing years?" The man narrowed critically his eyes and withheld his verdict as if in doubt; but a corner of his mouth was twitching.