Friends and Lovers Read Free Page B

west window there was a large desk. At the east window, looking over the Sound towards the mainland, there was a low table with a game of chess in progress and two comfortable armchairs. David’s eyes travelled back to the desk, with its busy disorder of work interrupted.
    He said, “I’m afraid I have been rather a nuisance.”
    “Not a bit of it, not a bit of it,” Dr. MacLntyre said. He was satisfied with his pipe-tapping. He straightened his back, and then stood for a moment looking at a photograph on the mantelpiece. He seemed lost in thought, and David felt he was being politely dismissed. This was the way in which Chaundler, in Oxford, gave him warning. I’ve stayed too long, and I’ve talked too much—God, much too much—David thought miserably, and all the pleasure in the visit vanished as he realized how bored Dr. MacLntyre must have been.
    But Dr. MacLntyre, taking a keen look at the embarrassment on the young man’s face, said, “If you wait until I find my tobacco I’ll take a turn with you in the garden.
    I have some surprising hollyhocks.” He noted the relief on David’s face.
    Young men did not change very much, after all, in spite of fashions in behaviour …
    No doubt Bosworth had come here out of a sense of duty, not really expecting to enjoy himself. And now, because he has enjoyed the visit, he is having an attack of guilt in case he has bored me, Dr. MacLntyre thought.
    “I believe he likes roe,” Dr. MacLntyre said to himself, and then shook his head over his own vanity.
    “Now where did I put that tobacco-tin?” he asked.
    David was looking at the three healthy children in the silver-framed photograph which, along with a faded picture of a very pretty woman in Edwardian dress, held the position of honour on the mantelpiece.
    “That was my wife,” Dr. MacLntyre remarked quietly.
    “Anc these are my grandchildren,” he added, straightening th silver frame to let the three young faces smile directly into the room.
    “Charming,” David said politely, but he was much more interested in the photograph of Mrs. MacLntyre. She remindec him strangely of some one.
    “Brats,” Dr. MacLntyre said, not without affection.
    “Thani Heaven it was decent weather to-day, or we shouldn’t have been given a moment’s peace. Chopsticks on the piano, cuttings from magazines scattered everywhere, portraits of me being made … I can’t even fall asleep in my own armchaii in case I am drawn with my mouth open. Ah! Here it is! He retrieved the tobacco-tin from the side of the chess-table He filled his pipe thoughtfully, looked down at the chessrnei on the board. Til have to watch out, or I’ll be running into difficulties.
    The schoolmaster plays a canny game. Of course I can always blame my mistakes on the view.” As he lit hi; pipe he raised his eyes and looked out over the Sound an its shining waters.
    David came over to join him. The two men stood ir silence for a few moments.
    “I envy you living here,” David said suddenly, and wa; surprised to hear his own words.
    “You are seeing it at its best to-day, I might warn you,” D. MacLntyre said deprecatingly, but he was pleased all the same. And now, he thought, Bosworth will say it must b< quite awesome in the winter months. His visitors always did But David’s next remark made him turn to look at the young; man with surprise.
    “Beautiful, but cruel,” David was saying.
    “So much land, s( few people, so little for even those people to live on.
    An( why?
    Fenton-Stevens says it was always wild land, only gooc for grouse and deer.
    True, you can’t do much with mountain; except admire them or climb them. But where there an mountains there must be valleys. And where there are valley: there could be good roads and small towns and light industries When we motored from Glasgow to Loch Innish wi passed enough torrents and waterfalls to give electric powe: to the whole of Scotland. Then why aren’t there electric rail ways opening up the