Читать книгу The Plumed Serpent. Historical Novel - Life and Love after the Mexico Revolution онлайн

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She felt again, as she felt before, that Mexico lay in her destiny almost as a doom. Something so heavy, so oppressive, like the folds of some huge serpent that seemed as if it could hardly raise itself.

She was glad to get to her corner in the tea-house, to feel herself in the cosmopolitan world once more, to drink her tea and eat strawberry shortcake and try to forget.

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Owen came back to the hotel at about half-past six, tired, excited, a little guilty, and a good deal distressed at having let Kate go alone. And now the whole thing was over, rather dreary in spirit.

‘Oh, how did you get on?’ he cried, the moment he saw her, afraid almost like a boy of his own sin of omission.

‘I got on perfectly. Went to Sanborn’s for tea, and had strawberry shortcake — so good!’

‘Oh, good for you!’ he laughed in relief. ‘Then you weren’t TOO much overcome! I’m so glad. I had such awful qualms after I’d let you go. Imagined all the things that are supposed to happen in Mexico — chauffeur driving away with you into some horrible remote region, and robbing you and all that — but then I KNEW really you’d be all right. Oh, the time I had — the rain! — and the people throwing things at my bald patch — and those horses — wasn’t that horrible? — I wonder I’m still alive.’ And he laughed with tired excitement, putting his hand over his stomach and rolling his eyes.