Here they were met by the bridge players.
Their game finished, they were all coming up on deck, laughing and talking
as they came. Ann drew back, nervously unprepared for the sudden encounter,
but Brett covered her momentary confusion by genial inquiries as to who had
won.
"I've won two and fivepence," announced Miss Caroline in satisfied tones.
She appeared supremely contented with the evening's harvest.
"These tiresome people are talking of going, Brett," complained Lady Susan.
"Do stop them."
"Of course I'll stop them," he replied promptly. "They've all got to drink
my health and good luck to the _Sphinx_ before they go. It's her birthday,
to-day, by the way," he went on, addressing everybody collectively, "and I
insist upon the occasion being properly honoured."
He continued pouring out a stream of light-hearted nonsense, focussing
every one's attention on himself, and thus giving Ann time to recover her
poise. When, finally, she joined in the general conversation, she was quite
composed once more, although she still looked somewhat pale and tired.
The scene with Brett had exhausted her more than she knew. The man's sheer
vitality and force were overwhelming, and his efforts to impose his will on
hers, to force from her some response to the flaming ardour of his passion,
had left her feeling mentally and spiritually sore and bruised, just as,
physically, she had ached all over after the buffeting she had received
from the waves at Berrier Cove.
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