The Forsyte Saga - Volume 1

The sight of the ballroom, with its gleaming floor, gave her a feeling

of joy, of triumph, for she loved dancing, and when dancing she floated,

so light was she, like a strenuous, eager little spirit. He would surely

ask her to dance, and if he danced with her it would all be as it was

before. She looked about her eagerly.

The sight of Bosinney coming with Irene from the conservatory, with that

strange look of utter absorption on his face, struck her too suddenly.

They had not seen--no one should see--her distress, not even her

grandfather.

She put her hand on Jolyon's arm, and said very low:

"I must go home, Gran; I feel ill."

He hurried her away, grumbling to himself that he had known how it would

be.

To her he said nothing; only when they were once more in the carriage,

which by some fortunate chance had lingered near the door, he asked her:

"What is it, my darling?"

Feeling her whole slender body shaken by sobs, he was terribly alarmed.

She must have Blank to-morrow. He would insist upon it. He could not

have her like this.... There, there!

June mastered her sobs, and squeezing his hand feverishly, she lay back

in her corner, her face muffled in a shawl.

He could only see her eyes, fixed and staring in the dark, but he did

not cease to stroke her hand with his thin fingers.