Micky let her alone in a marked fashion and talked to June. He had found the man he had been looking for for months, he declared, a good business man, honest----
"Really honest, Micky?" June asked, laughing.
"Really honest," Micky maintained. "Do you think I'd put you on to him else? I've told him all about you. I went out to lunch with him yesterday and we talked face creams and vanities till my head reeled. He's full of ideas, bursting with fresh notions for advertising. He didn't say so in actual words, but he thinks you'll be a little gold mine if you'll put yourself in his hands."
June's eyes sparkled; she jumped up from her chair, put her arms around Micky's neck, and gave him a sounding kiss.
"You're a dear," she said, "and I just love you!"
Esther glanced up quickly. June need not have done that, she thought with a touch of irritation, but Micky only laughed.
"Come here and you shall have that back with compound interest," he said, but June shook her head.
"That's enough for to-day, and Esther's looking shocked to death."
"I'm not--I never thought about it," Esther protested indignantly. June laughed.
"Well, you looked angry anyway," she declared. "Didn't she, Micky?"
"I'm afraid I didn't notice," he answered coolly, but he had, and for a moment his pulses had leapt at sight of the anger in Esther's eyes; she could not surely hate him as much as she pretended if it annoyed her that June should kiss him.
But she was indifferent enough now at all events; she was leaning back listlessly, her eyes fixed on the flames, her face sad and thoughtful.
She was thinking about Ashton, Micky told himself savagely, wishing he were here, no doubt--Ashton, who even at that moment was probably running round Paris with Tubby Clare's little widow.
June was packing the tea things on to the tray and humming a snatch of song. Esther rose.
"Let me do that--you cleared away yesterday."
"I've got heaps somewhere," she said vaguely. "But I never know where they are." She looked over to Esther. "Don't bother to put the cups away now," she said. "Come back and be cosy."
She was rather surprised that Esther obeyed; she had quite expected her to go off and not return.
Fond as she was of Esther, she could not quite make her out; she was full of surprises. It was getting dusk, and the room was full of shadows.