III
It was the first night of RadmaagerтАЩs new opera, Peer Gynt. Vernon was going to it and had been asked by Radmaager to attend a supper party afterwards. He was dining first with Nell at her motherтАЩs house. She was not coming to the opera.
Much to NellтАЩs surprise, Vernon did not turn up to dinner. They waited some time, and then began without him. He arrived just as dessert was being put on the table.
тАЬIтАЩm most awfully sorry, Mrs.┬аVereker. I canтАЩt tell you how sorry I am. Something veryтБатАФvery unexpected occurred. IтАЩll tell you later.тАЭ
His face was so white and he was so obviously upset that Mrs.┬аVereker forgot her annoyance. She was always a tactful woman of the world and she treated the present situation with her usual discretion.
тАЬWell,тАЭ she said, rising, тАЬnow you are here, Vernon, you can talk to Nell. If youтАЩre going to the opera you wonтАЩt have much time.тАЭ
She left the room. Nell looked inquiringly at Vernon. He answered her look.
тАЬJoeтАЩs gone off with La Marre.тАЭ
тАЬOh, Vernon, she hasnтАЩt!тАЭ
тАЬShe has.тАЭ
тАЬDo you mean that she has eloped? That sheтАЩs married him? That theyтАЩve run away to get married?тАЭ
Vernon said grimly: тАЬHe canтАЩt marry her. HeтАЩs got a wife already.тАЭ
тАЬOh, Vernon, how awful! How could she?тАЭ
тАЬJoe was always wrongheaded. SheтАЩll regret thisтБатАФI know she will. I donтАЩt believe she really cares for him.тАЭ
тАЬWhat about Sebastian? WonтАЩt he feel this terribly?тАЭ
тАЬYes, poor devil. IтАЩve been with him now. HeтАЩs absolutely broken up over it. IтАЩd no idea how much he cared for Joe.тАЭ
тАЬI know he did.тАЭ
тАЬYou see, there were the three of usтБатАФalways. Joe and I and Sebastian. We belonged together.тАЭ
A faint pang of jealousy shot through Nell. Vernon repeated:
тАЬThe three of us. ItтАЩsтБатАФOh! I donтАЩt know. I feel as though IтАЩd been to blame in some way. IтАЩve let myself get out of touch with Joe. Dear old Joe, she was so staunch alwaysтБатАФbetter than any sister could be. It hurts me to think of the things she used to say when she was a kidтБатАФhow sheтАЩd never have anything to do with men. And now sheтАЩs come a mucker like this.тАЭ
Nell said in a shocked voice:
тАЬA married man. ThatтАЩs what makes it so awful. Had he any children?тАЭ
тАЬHow should I know anything about his beastly children?тАЭ
тАЬVernonтБатАФdonтАЩt be so cross.тАЭ
тАЬSorry, Nell. IтАЩm upset, thatтАЩs all.тАЭ
тАЬHow could she do such a thing,тАЭ said Nell. She had always rather resented JoeтАЩs unspoken contempt of which she had been subconsciously aware. She would not have been human had she not felt a faint sense of superiority. тАЬTo run away with anyone married! ItтАЩs dreadful!тАЭ
тАЬWell, she had courage, anyway,тАЭ said Vernon.
He felt a sudden passionate desire to defend JoeтБатАФJoe who belonged to Abbots Puissants and the old days.
тАЬCourage?тАЭ said Nell.
тАЬYes, courage!тАЭ said Vernon. тАЬAt any rate she wasnтАЩt prudent. She didnтАЩt count the cost. SheтАЩs chucked away everything in the world for love. ThatтАЩs more than some people will do.тАЭ
тАЬVernon!тАЭ
She got up, breathing hard.
тАЬWell, itтАЩs true.тАЭ All his smouldering resentment came bursting out. тАЬYou wonтАЩt even face a little discomfort for me, Nell. YouтАЩre always saying тАШWaitтАЩ and тАШLetтАЩs be careful.тАЩ You arenтАЩt capable of chucking everything to the winds for love of anyone.тАЭ
тАЬOh! Vernon, how cruel you areтБатАКтБатАж how cruel!тАЭ
He saw the tears come into her eyes and was immediately all compunction.
тАЬOh! Nell, I didnтАЩt mean itтБатАФI didnтАЩt mean it, sweetheart.тАЭ
His arms went round her, held her to him. Her sobs lessened. He glanced at his watch.
тАЬDamn! I must go. Good night, Nell darling. You do love me, donтАЩt you?тАЭ
тАЬYes, of courseтБатАФof course I do.тАЭ
He kissed her once more, hurried off. She sat down again by the disordered dinner table. Sat there, lost in thought.тБатАКтБатАж