Maurice Walsh - The Small Dark Man (Maurice Walsh) (Literary Thoughts Edition)

“Whom?” inquired Frances Mary.

“Myself, and Mr Vivian Stark, and you too, a small little bit. Would you mind telling me who this Mr Stark is?”

“My cousin. Charles William Vivian Stark. We call him Vivian so as not to confuse him with my brother Charles.”

The devil himself could not do that wrong. “Your cousin? Is he ever called Bill?”

Frances Mary chuckled. She could not imagine the aloof Vivian called the devil-may-care Bill. “No.”

“No. No one would ever call him Bill.”

“It might be unwise. Vivian can be very autocratic.” She did not add the “as you know” that was on the tip of her tongue.

Autocratic? Autos, self, and kratos, power. A man who holds all power in his own hands. Power over men? Well, now! Women? It could be. He had the build and the face and the intolerant blue eye. And her cousin, too! Cousins are naturally intolerant and unchivalrous, and that is perhaps why he trotted away down the glen. Surely he could hardly be so stupid as not to notice the warmth in a limpid grey eye? Whether or no, it was no business of Hugh Forbes; whose only business at present was to do the adequate minimum and keep a check on his disparaging tongue, if he could. Queer, all the same, that a fellow should run away from a good-looking young woman—not bad looking, anyway, in spite of her colouring. . . .

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