"Because I don't think we need be right down to the bone" she began again. "I mean Daddy's said he'd be able to help a bit."
"D'you believe one ought to accept anything from one's parents Mary?"
"They haven't much I know, that is compared with what they were once accustomed to" she said. "And yet what they've been allowed to keep is family cash isn't it? Savings handed down from father to son?"
As she put this forward she allowed a small smile to play almost imperceptibly about the corners of her mouth.
"That's a sound point certainly" he replied. Then he stopped. He did open his lips once more after a minute but relapsed into silence instead. She waited. At last he went on.
"As a matter of fact Mamma has been to see the dread Mr Thicknesse." He laughed. "You don't know who he is now, do you?"
"Of course" she gaily answered "Your family lawyeti."
"How did you find that out?" he demanded and looked sternly at her again. Meeting his eyes she stuck her chin up in rather an attractive manner.
"Daddy told me!"
"You discuss quite a lot with your father don't you?"
"If you talked over things more with me! mightn't have to."
There was a silence.
"Oh Philip don't be so absurd. You're forever speaking about the family though I notice you don't ever seem to mention we might have children of our own, and now you object to my going into things with my father. I think you' re beastly."
"I'm sorry" he said "darling, truly I am" and took her hand once more. "The fact is I get worried. You were dead right just now when you pointed out people of our parents' age had the experience over us. You see I'm not sure if it's right to accept money from them."
"But your father may have left you some Philip."
"Oh if he had they'd tell me. They could hardly not could they?"
"Still Why don't you go and see Mr Thicknesse?"
"Me?" he echoed. "But Mamma's been."
"I see" she said in an unseeing voice.
"It won't be a great deal cheaper for her with me gone" he went on. "There's Penelope to consider. I mean I don't see how we can afford Arthur Morris's flat do you? Three whole rooms!"
"We might have to if we had children."
"Oh I don't suppose it will ever fall vacant" he answered. When she did not say anything he continued, "As to the little Weatherbys they'll have to wait till they arrive."
She gasped and then she laughed.
"Little Weatherbys" she cried "How extraordinary! All this time I've been thinking of them as little Pomfrets. Darling Philip I am absurd. I never even imagined I'd have to change my name!"
"Well that's the idea isn't it?" he said.
"Then if I must I'd like it to sooner rather than later darling,"
"'Whenever you say" he said.
She frowned and bit her lip.
A FEW days afterwards Mrs Weatherby had John Pomfret to dinner alone for the second time since their respective children had become engaged.
The meal was announced almost before his sherry was poured and now he found himself seated by candlelight in front of some fried veal and unable as yet to start discussing arrangements.
"My dear" he broke in as soon as he decently could "I'm very-flattered. Here I am enjoying the most delicious dinner. But we have a lot to go over. Time is never short I know. All the same I should be glad to get down to things."
"Darling John you were always so tempestuous."
"Thank you Jane. If don't know that I usually let the grass grow under my feet. But this has to do with Mary's happiness."
"Well then I went to see Mr Thicknesse like I promised."
"And what did the old fool say?"
"Oh my dear" Mrs Weatherby began as though a roll of drums had preluded a performance which was late only owing to the negligence of the conductor out of sight in the prompter's box "it was terrible, I never thought I should survive. You know he always seemed to take such a curious view in the old days about our case John. I'm sure if they had ever come to court I'd've had more real true sympathy from the judge, although we were paying Mr Thicknesse weren't we?"
"Damned expensive he was into the bargain."
"Well I went" she repeated. "When I got back I had to take one of nay little tablets and lie down. It's really too bad Philip is so young and can't help out with these business things. As for you John dear Mr Thicknesse's manner to me was so strange once you might almost have knocked him down if you'd been there. Oh how does one change one's lawyer?"
"Simply by leaving him."
"Leave Mr Thicknesse, I'd never dare! After all I've been through with him! But do you know I can't understand a word he says."
"Hasn't he a clerk then?"
"Oh yes. A young one. He's sweet. He'd do anything for me. When I've something very urgent and I get on the telephone they put me through sometimes to Mr Eustace. Isn't it a queer name? I suppose that's only when the old devil of a man is engaged. Really isn't one's life too aw fu, to be at the mercy of men like Mr Thicknesse!"
"Don't beat about the bush Jane."
"It's simply I can't be hurried. John do be sensible dear. I won't be rushed, just won't."
She left her veal, went over to the sideboard and fetched a china dish of chocolates across to Mr Pomfret.
"Beautiful bit of meat you have here" he said.
"It's always such a pleasure to entertain you John" she replied. "No but I mean what can all the hurry be?" she went on. "Only three weeks ago when they so startled us all and now all their whole lives in front of them!"
"You do feel they're too young?"
"I may have done at first but it was you surely confounded us both with my own marriage as though you were prosecuting me darling. We went to Folkestone for the first night of the honeymoon." she sighed. "My beloved mother sent her maid until we crossed to France next morning and the woman got so excited when she unpacked for me I couldn't get rid of her, so awkward. No don't say they're over young now though Philip of course has a lot still to learn, not too young exactly, but where's the violent haste in all this John dear?"
"Oh none. But before there may be there's so much to discuss."
"You don't mean-?"
"Of course not Jane. Only engagements often end in a race. Nerves turn ragged."
"All right but don't you get cross!"
"Jane darling I'm not. Of course we must take our time."
"That's much better" she said, giving him her great smile. "Because I think Mary's the sweetest child in the whole world. So lucky for dear Philip. But we must be practical. After all we are their parents. Oh who would've ever imagined darling we'd be sitting opposite each other like we are, solemnly eating our dinners with the children's marriage to decide!"
"It's a sobering thought certainly."
"Aren't you pleased then?" she asked.
"It makes me feel so old" he replied in a bantering tone of voice but with evident caution. "Something like this can happen before one is ready for it."
"Then you do think they're rather babies."
"No no" he said quickly. "What I meant was that I'm the one who's too young. And I know you are."
She laughed. "One can forever be certain you'll make delicious fun out of serious moments and I love you for it darling. Though I don't say I did always."
"We never made a joke of our affairs in the old days. It might've been better if we had."
"How d'you mean?" she demanded sharply.
"Well we were very very serious weren't we?"
"I should hope so too" she said.
"It was most painful at the time though."
"Oh I thought I would die" she sighed.
"And did we get anywhere by waiting Jane?"
"No don't" she moaned. "We must simply never never go over all that again."
"It's a thought, what I've just said, just the same."