V

"But it doesn't matter, does it?" Elinor said. She spoke almost pleadingly. Mr. Seddon had departed.

Roddy's face twitched nervously. He said, "You ought to have it. It's quite right you should. For heaven's sake, Elinor, don't get it into your head that I grudge it to you. I don't want the damned money!" Elinor said, her voice slightly unsteady, "We did agree, Roddy, in London that it wouldn't matter which of us it was, as - as we were going to be married?"

He didn't answer.

She persisted, "Don't you remember saying that, Roddy?" He said, "Yes."

53

He looked down at his feet. His face was white and sullen; there was pain in the taut lines of his sensitive mouth.

Elinor said with a sudden gallant lift of the head, "It doesn't matter - if we're going to be married.... But are we, Roddy?"

He said, "Are we what?"

"Are we going to marry each other?"

"I understood that was the idea." His tone was indifferent, with a slight edge to it. He went on: "Of course, Elinor, if you've other ideas now -" Elinor cried out, "Oh, Roddy, can't you be honest?" He winced. Then he said in a low, bewildered voice, "I don't know what's happened to me."

Elinor said in a stifled voice, "I do."

He said quickly, "Perhaps it's true that I don't, after all, quite like the idea of living on my wife's money."

Elinor, her face white, said, "It's not that. It's something else." She paused, then she said, "It's - Mary, isn't it?" Roddy muttered unhappily, "I suppose so. How did you know?" Elinor said, her mouth twisting sideways in a crooked smile, "It wasn't difficult. Every time you look at her - it's there in your face for anyone to read."

Suddenly his composure broke. "Oh, Elinor - I don't know what's the matter! I think I'm going mad! It happened when I saw her - that first day

- in the wood ... just her face - it - it's turned everything upside down. You can't understand that."

54

Elinor said, "Yes, I can. Go on."

Roddy said helplessly, "I didn't want to fall in love with her - I was quite happy with you. Oh, Elinor, what a cad I am, talking like this to you - " Elinor said, "Nonsense. Go on. Tell me."

He said brokenly, "You're wonderful. Talking to you helps frightfully. I'm so terribly fond of you, Elinor! You must believe that. This other thing is like an enchantment! It's upset everything: my conception of life - and my enjoyment of things - and - all the decent, ordered, reasonable things."

Elinor said gently, "Love - isn't very reasonable." Roddy said miserably, "No."

Elinor said, and her voice trembled a little, "Have you said anything to her?"

Roddy said, "This morning - like a fool - I lost my head -" Elinor said, "Yes?"