to discover that through lack of an instructor they must postpone their first attempts at ski-ing until to-morrow!
Yet, though she was grateful to John Ainslie, Vivian felt uneasy. He must have taken all this trouble on their behalf because he felt himself responsible, although so indirectly, for their having come here. It seemed that all her pains last night to make it plain that she and Valerie were capable of fending for themselves had been of no avail. Quite unintentionally, they had spoilt his day. She must take care that nothing of the kind occurred again.
After two strenuous hours with the solemn young instructor, surrounded by numbers of other beginners in various stages of awkwardness, they went back to the hotel for lunch and after resting for an hour returned to the nursery slopes. Antoine was booked that afternoon, but they managed to engage him for both morning and afternoon to-morrow, and meanwhile struggled on their own, trying to carry out what he had taught them. When they came down that night for dinner they were aching pleasurably with the delicious, lazy weariness that was the consequence of their strenuous hours in the exhilarating mountain air.
The Prescott party, and with them Rory Wilson, still in ski-ing kit, were sitting near the stairs. Susan hailed them.
“Hullo! Did you enjoy your day? Come and have a drink with us, and tell us all about it!”
Vivian said, “Thank you —h ow nice of you! But all the exercise we took has made us ravenous — we ’ re going to have dinner right away.”
When they were sitting at their table she explained to Valerie, “If we ’ re going to stay here for a month our currency won ’ t stretch to aperitifs—and I hate accepting hospitality I can ’ t return!”
“I hadn ’ t thought of that.” Valerie liked the Prescotts and John Ainslie; Rory Wilson, too. Privately she thought it would be a pity if this currency business were going to hamper friendly relationships.
At the next table sat a pleasant family party — father, mother, schoolgirl daughter of about sixteen, elder daughter with her fiancé , and a son of about twenty-five. Their name was Cunningham. It was their first experience of winter sports, too. They had all set out together after lunch to the funicular and had made friends on the way. Now they invited the two sisters to join them after dinner in the games room for canasta. Valerie said that she had never played.
“Hurrah! Neither have I, so we ’ ll be boobies together!” said the schoolgirl daughter jubilantly. Valerie was delighted; Vivian was pleased for her sake and also because this would show their independence to the Prescott party, and John Ainslie in particular.
Susan and Harry and John, and Rory, who had stayed for dinner with them, were sitting in the lounge again when after a hilarious game they passed through on their way to bed. The men rose. To go past and upstairs without a moment ’ s pause would have been unfriendly.
“It sounded as though you were enjoying a good game!” said Susan.
Vivian laughed. “Amusing rather than good! But it was great fun.”
Rory said to Valerie, “Susan and Harry are planning to go dancing at the Schweizerhof tomorrow evening. Would you care to come along with me, and make a four? I ’ m frightfully respectable ! My step-grandmother presented a bouquet to Queen Victoria in eighteen-eighty - nine. And by second-cousin-twice-removed was an alderman of Upper Snoring Rural District Council for sixteen years.”
Valerie ’ s eyes were dancing as she said demurely, “Have you proof of that in writing?”
“Of course! Tied up in pale blue ribbon in the top left-hand drawer in my bureau at home—the one Aunt Emma left me. But I ’ m afraid I didn ’ t think of bringing it—I didn ’ t know I would be meeting you, and needing my credentials.”
“We-ell—just this once I ’ ll take a chance and waive the matter of credentials!” Valerie told him; then, abandoning their
Yet, though she was grateful to John Ainslie, Vivian felt uneasy. He must have taken all this trouble on their behalf because he felt himself responsible, although so indirectly, for their having come here. It seemed that all her pains last night to make it plain that she and Valerie were capable of fending for themselves had been of no avail. Quite unintentionally, they had spoilt his day. She must take care that nothing of the kind occurred again.
After two strenuous hours with the solemn young instructor, surrounded by numbers of other beginners in various stages of awkwardness, they went back to the hotel for lunch and after resting for an hour returned to the nursery slopes. Antoine was booked that afternoon, but they managed to engage him for both morning and afternoon to-morrow, and meanwhile struggled on their own, trying to carry out what he had taught them. When they came down that night for dinner they were aching pleasurably with the delicious, lazy weariness that was the consequence of their strenuous hours in the exhilarating mountain air.
The Prescott party, and with them Rory Wilson, still in ski-ing kit, were sitting near the stairs. Susan hailed them.
“Hullo! Did you enjoy your day? Come and have a drink with us, and tell us all about it!”
Vivian said, “Thank you —h ow nice of you! But all the exercise we took has made us ravenous — we ’ re going to have dinner right away.”
When they were sitting at their table she explained to Valerie, “If we ’ re going to stay here for a month our currency won ’ t stretch to aperitifs—and I hate accepting hospitality I can ’ t return!”
“I hadn ’ t thought of that.” Valerie liked the Prescotts and John Ainslie; Rory Wilson, too. Privately she thought it would be a pity if this currency business were going to hamper friendly relationships.
At the next table sat a pleasant family party — father, mother, schoolgirl daughter of about sixteen, elder daughter with her fiancé , and a son of about twenty-five. Their name was Cunningham. It was their first experience of winter sports, too. They had all set out together after lunch to the funicular and had made friends on the way. Now they invited the two sisters to join them after dinner in the games room for canasta. Valerie said that she had never played.
“Hurrah! Neither have I, so we ’ ll be boobies together!” said the schoolgirl daughter jubilantly. Valerie was delighted; Vivian was pleased for her sake and also because this would show their independence to the Prescott party, and John Ainslie in particular.
Susan and Harry and John, and Rory, who had stayed for dinner with them, were sitting in the lounge again when after a hilarious game they passed through on their way to bed. The men rose. To go past and upstairs without a moment ’ s pause would have been unfriendly.
“It sounded as though you were enjoying a good game!” said Susan.
Vivian laughed. “Amusing rather than good! But it was great fun.”
Rory said to Valerie, “Susan and Harry are planning to go dancing at the Schweizerhof tomorrow evening. Would you care to come along with me, and make a four? I ’ m frightfully respectable ! My step-grandmother presented a bouquet to Queen Victoria in eighteen-eighty - nine. And by second-cousin-twice-removed was an alderman of Upper Snoring Rural District Council for sixteen years.”
Valerie ’ s eyes were dancing as she said demurely, “Have you proof of that in writing?”
“Of course! Tied up in pale blue ribbon in the top left-hand drawer in my bureau at home—the one Aunt Emma left me. But I ’ m afraid I didn ’ t think of bringing it—I didn ’ t know I would be meeting you, and needing my credentials.”
“We-ell—just this once I ’ ll take a chance and waive the matter of credentials!” Valerie told him; then, abandoning their
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