I + 

At last The Princess in the Tower was finished. Vernon suffered from a tremendous wave of reaction. The whole thing was rottenтБатАФhopeless. Best to chuck it into the fire. + 

NellтАЩs sweetness and encouragement were like manna to him at this time. She had that wonderful instinct for always saying the words he longed to hear. But for her, as he constantly told her, he would have given way to despair long ago. + 

He had seen less of Jane during the winter. She had been on tour with the English Opera Company part of the time. When she sang in Electra in Birmingham, he went down for it. He was tremendously impressedтБатАФloved both the music and JaneтАЩs impersonation of Electra. That ruthless will, that determined: тАЬSay naught but dance on!тАЭ She gave the impression of being more spirit than flesh. He was conscious that her voice was really too weak for the part, but somehow it didnтАЩt seem to matter. She was ElectraтБатАФthat fanatical fiery spirit of relentless doom. + 

He stayed a few days with his motherтБатАФdays which he found trying and difficult. He went to see his Uncle Sydney and was received coldly. Enid was engaged to be married to a solicitor, and Uncle Sydney was not too pleased about it. + 

Nell and her mother were away for Easter. On their return Vernon rang up and said he must see her immediately. He arrived with a white face and burning eyes. + 

тАЬNell, do you know what IтАЩve heard? Everyone has been saying that you are going to marry George Chetwynd. George Chetwynd!тАЭ + 

тАЬWho said so?тАЭ + 

тАЬLots of people. They say you go round with him everywhere.тАЭ + 

Nell looked frightened and unhappy. + 

тАЬI wish you wouldnтАЩt believe things. And Vernon, donтАЩt look soтБатАФso accusing. ItтАЩs perfectly true that he has asked me to marry himтБатАФtwice, as a matter of fact.тАЭ + 

тАЬThat old man?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! Vernon, donтАЩt be ridiculous. HeтАЩs only about forty-one or -two.тАЭ + 

тАЬNearly double your age. Why, I thought he wanted to marry your mother, perhaps.тАЭ + 

Nell laughed in spite of herself. + 

тАЬOh! dear, I wish he would. MotherтАЩs really awfully handsome still.тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs what I thought that night at Ranelagh. I never guessedтБатАФI never dreamedтБатАФthat it was you! Or hadnтАЩt it begun then?тАЭ + 

тАЬOh! yes, it had begunтБатАФas you call it. That was why Mother was so angry that nightтБатАФat my going off alone with you.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd I never guessed! Nell, you might have told me!тАЭ + 

тАЬTold you what? There wasnтАЩt anything to tellтБатАФthen!тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, I suppose not. IтАЩm being an idiot. But I do know heтАЩs awfully rich. I get frightened sometimes. Oh, darling Nell, it was beastly of me to doubt youтБатАФeven for a minute. As though youтАЩd ever care how rich anyone were.тАЭ + 

Nell said irritably: тАЬRich, rich, rich! You harp on that. HeтАЩs awfully kind and awfully nice, too.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, I dare say.тАЭ + 

тАЬHe is, Vernon. Really he is.тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs nice of you to stick up for him, darling, but he must be an insensitive sort of brute to hang round after youтАЩve refused him twice.тАЭ + 

Nell did not answer. She looked at him in a way he did not understandтБатАФsomething piteous and appealing and yet defiant in that strange limpid gaze. It was as though she looked at him from a world so far removed from his that they might be on different spheres. + 

He said: тАЬI feel ashamed of myself, Nell. But youтАЩre so lovelyтБатАФeveryone must want youтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

She broke down suddenlyтБатАФbegan to cry. He was startled. She cried on, sobbed on his shoulder. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt know what to doтБатАФI donтАЩt know what to do. IтАЩm so unhappy. If I could only talk to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut you can talk to me, darling. IтАЩm here listening.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, no, noтБатАКтБатАж I can never talk to you. You donтАЩt understand. ItтАЩs all no use.тАЭ + 

She cried on. He kissed her, soothed her, poured out all his love.тБатАКтБатАж + 

When he had gone, her mother came into the room, an open letter in her hand. + 

She did not appear to notice NellтАЩs tear-stained face. + 

тАЬGeorge Chetwynd sails for America on the thirtieth of May,тАЭ she remarked, as she went across to her desk. + 

тАЬI donтАЩt care when he sails,тАЭ said Nell rebelliously. + 

Mrs.┬аVereker did not answer. + 

That night Nell knelt longer than usual by her narrow white bed. + 

тАЬOh! God, please let me marry Vernon. I want to so much. I do love him so. Please let things come right and let us be married. Make something happen.тБатАКтБатАж Please God.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 