‘None,’ said Olive. After a moment, she said: ‘I don’t care what you think of how much he’s attached to me. But I’ll tell you this. He knows he can live on my money. He may be forced to marry me in the end. But I shall be happier about the arrangement than he will. There’ll be times when he’s bound to think that I’m dragging him down. He’s got more illusions than I have. You’ve got to persuade yourselves of that.’
Rachel tried to argue with her. She did not resent the obvious pretences and attempts to console her. She said, with a genuine smile: ‘It’s no use talking. You’ll never believe a word I say.’
Rachel once more begged her to trace Jack — ‘we can’t let George be thrown away,’ she cried.
Then the maid announced another visitor for me and Morcom came in. First he caught sight of Roy, and said: ‘I can’t find any news.’
At that moment, he saw Olive.
‘I’m sorry. They didn’t tell me—’
‘Come and sit by the fire,’ she said.
He sat down and spread out his hands. His face looked ill with care. We all knew that this was the first time they had met for months.
In her presence he would not say what he had come for. Roy talked more easily for a few minutes than anyone there could manage: then he took Rachel away.
Olive said to Morcom: ‘You’re not looking well, Arthur. You must take care of yourself.’
‘I’m all right.’
‘Promise me you’ll look after yourself.’
‘If I can,’ said Morcom. Their manner to each other was still sometimes tender. Some casual remark made them smile together, and their faces, in that moment, rested in peace.
Soon Olive could not control her restlessness. She crossed to the window, and looked out into the dark; she returned to her chair again, and then got up to go. Her eyes caught the brief lying on the writing desk. She pointed to the words on the first page — Rex v. Passant and Ors.
‘Is that us?’ She was laughing without any pretence. ‘I’ve never seen anything that looked — so far away.’
She stood still for a moment, and said goodbye. She put her hand on the back of Morcom’s chair: ‘Goodbye,’ she said again.
As soon as the door closed, Morcom said: ‘I came to say — you must force George to escape.’
‘You think Jack has really gone?’
‘I don’t know. I advised him to.’
I broke out in angry recriminations, though as he spoke his face was torn with pain. I reminded him of my warning the night of the first inquiries: and how, after the police court, we agreed that I could not tell George to go.
‘It’s criminal to take the responsibility of persuading Jack — unless George was ready too,’ I said.
‘I had to speak,’ said Morcom.
‘You could not face telling me first.’
‘Don’t you understand that I was bound to speak to Jack?’ Morcom said. ‘You said I ought to have taken care of them before it happened. Do you think this was any more bearable? It means they will marry. They will stay abroad for years. They will be left with nothing but their own resources. That’s what she longs for, isn’t it? I’ve had to try to help it on.’
I looked at him.
‘Will you tell George to go now?’ he said at last.
‘I shall have to try,’ I said.
32: Visit to George
I took a taxi to George’s lodgings. He was alone, sitting in the same chair, the same position, as in the evening after the police court. He must have heard the taxi drive up outside, but he did not inquire why I had hurried.
He tried to stir himself for my benefit, however. Though his voice was flat, he asked after Sheila with his old friendly diffident politeness; he talked a little of a case that I had just finished in London.
Then I said: ‘What do you think of our case, George?’
‘It’s gone more or less as I expected.’
‘Has it?’
George nodded without any protest.
I hesitated.
‘Look, George,’ I said. ‘I’m going to offend you. You’ll have to forgive me. I don’t care what has actually happened in this business. You know that perfectly well. I can’t imagine any action you could do which would make the slightest difference to me. It wouldn’t either make me think worse of you or better — it works both ways. Well, I don’t know what’s happened, you may be technically guilty or you may not, I don’t know and, apart from curiosity, I don’t care. You’ve told me you’re not.’ I met his eyes. ‘I know you tell the literal truth more than most of us — but even so, I can imagine all sorts of reasons why you should lie here.’
He gave a resentful, awkward laugh.
‘So I’ve got nothing to do with what really happened,’ I said. ‘The essential thing is what other people will think happened. That’s all. I’m just talking as a lawyer about the probabilities in this case. You know them, you’re a better lawyer than I am, of course, whenever you care. What should you say the probabilities are?’
‘So far, they’re not much in our favour.’
‘If you came to me as a client,’ I said, ‘I shouldn’t be as optimistic as that.’
I went on: ‘Anyway, supposing you’re right, supposing the chances were even or a bit better — ought you to risk it? If it comes down the wrong side—’
‘We get a few months. And the consequences—’
‘Is the risk worth taking?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Jump your bail. I’ve spoken to the others who put up money. We all want you to please yourself.’
‘What should I do?’
‘You could be in South America in a fortnight. Nothing will touch you there, in this sort of case.’
There was a silence.
‘I don’t see how I’m going to live.’
‘We can provide a bit. It won’t be much, God knows — but it’d help you in a place where living’s cheap. And in time it would be possible to make a little money.’
‘It would be difficult.’
‘Not impossible. You could get qualified there — if there’s nothing else.’
‘I should never have any security.’
‘Think of the alternative.’
‘No,’ George burst out, in a loud, harsh, emphatic tone. ‘I’m afraid it’s completely impracticable. I appreciate the offer, of course.’ (That ‘of course’ of George’s which, as so often, was loaded with resentment.)
‘But it’s ludicrous to consider it. Apart from the practical obstacles — I should have to live in discomfort all my life, it isn’t pleasant to condemn oneself to squalid exile.’
He added: ‘And there’s the question of the others.’
‘I was coming to that.’
‘Well?’
‘Olive could go with a clear conscience. Her uncle’s wealthy, she has enough to live on.’
He did not reply.
‘I’ll promise to readjust things with the others so that you won’t have any responsibility,’ I said. ‘You come first. It’s more serious for you. You stand to lose most. For me — I needn’t tell you — you count very much the most.’
There was a silence before George replied: ‘I appreciate the offer. But I can’t take it.’
‘There is one other thing,’ I said.
‘What?’ His voice had returned to the lifeless tone with which he welcomed me.
‘Jack may have gone already.’
‘Are you inventing that to get rid of me?’
‘I didn’t want to tell you,’ I said. ‘But you’ve seen some indications, surely?’
‘I didn’t take them seriously.’
‘This you must,’ I said.
‘I want to know exactly what basis you’re going on.’
I told him the facts — that Olive believed Jack would return to stand his triaclass="underline" that no one else did.