“Must you go?” she asked, rising and coming near to me, standing in
front of me, twisting her head sideways and looking up at me. “Can’t
you stop a bit longer? We can all be cosy today, there’s nothing to do
outdoors.” And she laughed, showing her teeth oddly. She had a long
chin.
I said I must go. The peacock uncoiled and coiled again his long blue
neck, as he lay on the hearth. Maggie still stood close in front of me,
so that I was acutely aware of my waistcoat buttons.
“Oh, well,” she said, “you’ll come again, won’t you? Do come again.”