"Miss Holroyd," I said, "I do care for fossils. You may think that I am
a humbug, but I have a perfect mania for fossils--now."
"Since when?"
"About an hour ago," I said airily. Out of the corner of my eye I saw
that she had flushed up. It pleased me.
"You will soon tire of the experiment," she said with a dangerous smile.
"Oh, I may," I replied indifferently.
She drew back. The movement was scarcely perceptible, but I noticed it,
and she knew I did.
The atmosphere was vaguely hostile. One feels such mental conditions
and changes instantly. I picked up a chessboard, opened it, set up the
pieces with elaborate care, and began to move, first the white, then
the black. Miss Holroyd watched me coldly at first, but after a dozen
moves she became interested and leaned a shade nearer. I moved a black
pawn forward.
"Why do you do that?" said Daisy.
"Because," said I, "the white queen threatens the pawn."
"It was an aggressive move," she insisted.
"Purely defensive," I said. "If her white highness will let the pawn
alone, the pawn will let the queen alone."
Miss Holroyd rested her chin on her wrist and gazed steadily at the
board. She was flushing furiously, but she held her ground.
"If the white queen doesn't block that pawn, the pawn may become
dangerous," she said coldly.