"No don't" she wailed. "No one, simply no one is to mention Arthur again in my presence! I told Penelope. I forbade her."
"Yes I expect you'll have to call on Master Thicknesse. Unless you'd rather I went?"
"Oh well wouldn't that look rather queer?" she cried, lowered the hands from her face and looked at Mr Pomfret with a tiny smile at the corners of those magnificent eyes. "Besides I'm afraid it may turn out to be quite like those Egyptian tombs they're always finding and are so proud of, quite empty, robbed."
"You mean the sly old devil's got away with some?"
"Mr Thicknesse?" she gasped and actually glanced over a shoulder. "Hush my dear, do think what you're saying!"
John roared with laughter, put his drink down, even leaned right back to let himself go. She caught the infection, or seemed to, and soon in her turn was dabbing at her eyes.
"Darling" he brought out at last, a few tears about his cheekbones "you're wonderful! I don't know what I'd do without you!"
Mrs Weatherby stopped laughing at once.
"You've managed without someone an unconscionably long time John."
"Dear where do you get these long words suddenly?"
"My old governess" she replied in a tart voice. "What were we talking about?"
"Lord knows" he said. "That's the effect you have on me. I forget time and place."
"Then I don't." She gaily laughed. "And I think I know what it may be. Isabella must have misunderstood again and is waiting for us in the dining room. Let's go along, shall we, if only to try anyway?"
JOHN POMFRET invited Mr Abbot to have a bite to eat with him at the Club.
"I asked you to drop over because I'm worried in my mind to do, with this business about my Mary" he told Richard.
"Young love not running smooth eh?"
"I shouldn't say that for the simple reason that I've no means of finding out. They look happy enough bless 'em but they don't let on much. Tell you the truth I wanted to enlist your help with Jane."
"You've known her longest, John."
"I'd like to put the whole thing before you. Basically I think a man's no right to stand between his child and her happiness." He laughed. "Lord that sounds a pompous pronouncement but you follow what I mean? And it's damned hard to get down to arrangements with someone like Jane you've known all your life."
"Expect it may be" Mr Abbot agreed.
"Good, I thought you'd catch on. The fact is I've been uncommonly careful not to rush Jane in any shape or form and then this week the summons I'd been awaiting came and she asked me round to dinner. Well we did have a bit of a chat while that Italian woman of hers kept us hanging on for the meal but I can't say we got anywhere with it. After we'd sat down to eat and later back in her room again it was hardly mentioned; to tell the truth we got laughing over old days and there you are."
"Wonderful food Jane gives one. Can't imagine how she does it these days."
Mr Pomfret turned on Richard Abbot a long considering look.
"Food's not been too bad in the Club lately" he said at last. "Richard are you with me about ali this?"
"Completely ignorant of the whole issue" Mr Abbot answered.
"Well I can't promise there is an issue" John pointed out. "Only perhaps that Jane doesn't seem wildly keen on the engagement. It's not so much what she puts into words as everything she doesn't mention and for somebody who's never been exactly silent all her life that may or may not be significant. How do you weigh things up?"
"She might be a trifle upset about Penelope?"
"I know but don't you think Pen's often a blind, Richard? Doesn't Jane use the child as a shield?"
"She has no need that I can see."
"Of course not" Mr Pomfret concurred. "Never met anyone better able to look after herself than Jane."
"Wonderful manager. Marvellous party she gave!"
"Superb. A trifle unfortunate though the way the children brought their marriage in."
"As a matter of fact I a bit felt that" Mr Abbot agreed. "When all's said and done it was Jane's show. Speaking as Philip did he stole the thunder considerably or so I fancied."
"Wasn't it his twenty-firster?"
"May have been" Richard Abbot admitted. "But a mother has the right to celebrate having raised her own son to man's estate surely?"
"Admitted" John allowed him. "All the same we celebrated by ourselves didn't we when you and I ceased to be minors?"
"No doubt Philip did so."
"I fancy they're a bit short, wouldn't run to two entertainments. Who could these days?"
"Don't know at all. None of my business John."
There was another pause while Mr Pomfret studied Richard Abbot.
"D'you like Mary?" he asked at last. "Forget I'm her father. Well of course you can't. But tell me what I ought to do. They seem very much in love. I don't say I've been particularly keen on Philip in the past but Mary's chosen and that's good enough for me. Besides, now I've seen a bit more of him as one does on these occasions I find there's a lot in the boy. I'm not saying a word against Jane mind but he's missed having a man about the house. Have you run across him in one of his hats?"
"Bloody terrible. Don't speak of them."
"Aren't they?" Mr Pomfret agreed in a relieved sort of voice. "Later on I may be able to manage something about it. But are you on my side about those two or aren't you?"
"Not for me to take sides. You know Jane better than me John. Comparative newcomer is all I am."
"You'll excuse my saying this but you aren't. Why I hardly ever see old Jane now, and then only at the cost of a row each time with Liz. No, all I want is the children's happiness and how to get it, that's what I'm after."
"Won't they marry in spite of anything either of you may say?" Mr Abbot asked.
"Of course Richard. Simply I'd like to avoid the sort of unpleasantness which could follow, shortage of cash, no help from Jane because she's been rushed or feds hurt, the hundred and one things to dog them once they're back from the honeymoon"
"Don't ask me how Jane's fixed for money."
"Which is not the point with great respect old man. There's every kind of support Jane can bring if she wishes. But look here if she didn't agree" Mr Pomfret pointed out "matters might go sour, all sorts of awful things, trouble and so on. Oh we shall be out of it right enough, you and I. I'm thinking of Mary."
"Grandchildren do the trick d'you consider?"
"Well naturally. Still supposing there aren't any at first. And how can anyone carry it off in a single room, if they have to live in the beginning with practically no more than a single room, and on what they earn?"
"As I know Jane she'd never resist a baby" Mr Abbot said.
"But good God Richard have they to breed like rabbits to get recognition?"
"They've always got you haven't they?"
"What's the use? I've no money left! Who has?"
"Well thank God I'm not in your shoes."
"It's not as bad as that is it Richard? D'you mean you think Jane actually opposes the idea?"
"Me? How should I know? She doesn't discuss anything with me, good God no. Damned if I can say what I'd advise."
"You don't sound very cheerful old man I must say."
"It's like this John" Mr Abbot explained "and by the way I wouldn't care for anyone to know what I'm going to tell you now. The fact is Jane and I may see a bit of one another from time to time but she doesn't confide in me, never has. Damned self-reliant woman in my opinion Jane and always was."
"I don't know I ever found her any different" Mr Pomfret agreed. "So you can't say what she's driving at?"
Richard Abbot considered his host in a long expressionless stare.
"D'you suppose Jane knows herself?" he asked in the end. "Probably got a violent sensationalism over this marriage business. Expect she'll hide it under sweetness and light if you follow me. Then when she's ready" and Mr Abbot jerked his hands up from his knees "out it will all come. lust like that."