The End of Her Honeymoon

Book Excerpt: ...sh grey called grisaille, formed the further side of the tiny apartment. Madame Poulain, turning a key, revealed a large roomy space now fitted up as a cupboard. "It's a way through into our bedroom, monsieur," she said smiling. "We could not of course allow our daughter to be far from ourselves."And Dampier nodded. He knew the ways of French people and sympathised with those ways. He stepped up into the cupboard, curious to see if this too had been a powdering closet, and if that were so if the old panelling and ornamentation had remained in their original condition. Thus for a moment was Dampier concealed from those in the room. And during that moment there came the sound of footsteps on the staircase, followed by the sudden appearance on the landing outside the open door of the curious little apartment of two tall figures--a girl in a lace opera cloak, and a young man in evening dress. Nancy Dampier, gazing at them, a little surprised at the abrupt apparition, told herself that they must be..