‘No doubt he has taken the late train to London,’ said Paul.
Faith turned grave eyes on her father, in reference to his silence on this matter.
‘I wonder if he has anyone to welcome him there,’ said Hope.
‘Grandpa was rather mature when he sowed his wild oats,’ said Daniel.
‘They don’t seem so very wild,’ said Graham. ‘People must be fairly established, when they are in a position to support two families.’
‘Poor Grandpa!’ said Luce. ‘I daresay he was very lonely out there. Not that I want to make excuses for him.’
‘There is none for the various foolishness he has shown,’ said Paul. ‘It comes of a life without criticism.’
‘How did he manage about leaving the woman, when he returned to England?’ said Graham.
‘It is no good to find out about it, Graham,’ said Daniel. ‘You will never go as far as your grandfather.’
‘He told her the truth about his life,’ said Paul. ‘And he lived with her again, when he went out a second time. She died when Susan was born.’
‘And I pitied you for having to sit by him!’ said Hope. ‘To think of the freemasonry among men!’
‘I suppose she was not equal to him,’ said Faith.
‘I daresay not, to our ideas,’ said her father. ‘Social and other differences would count less out there.’
‘And when he heard of her death, he sent for the three children,’ said Faith. ‘I am glad he did not shirk his responsibilities.’
‘Are they to know who their father is?’ said Graham.
‘No, it is to be always kept from them,’ said Paul. ‘He feels it is better for them and for him. I am quoting his words.’
‘He must be afraid of its leaking out, now it is not his own secret,’ said Graham.
‘It is to be the secret of us all.’
‘Well, that is the least aggravating kind of secret,’ said Hope.
‘Poor Grandma!’ said Luce, in a soft tone.
‘Yes, poor Lady Sullivan!’ said Faith. ‘She is the really tragic figure. I think she showed a great heroism, the greater that it was quiet.’
‘I think heroism is only mentioned when it is that,’ said Hope.
‘She has known for years,’ said Paul. ‘She saw Sir Jesse’s interest in the young people, and saw a likeness to him, and guessed the truth.’
‘To think she has carried the burden for all this time!’ said Faith, slowly shaking her head.
It is Grandpa’s affair,’ said Daniel, ‘or it should have been.’
‘Did she tell you, Paul?’ said Hope.
‘She said a word to him.’
‘Did he mind?’ said Graham.
‘Well, I think he had a shock.’
‘He can hardly expect not to suffer at all,’ said Faith.
‘It seems like Grandpa to sin for years and suffer for a moment,’ said Graham, as though he were glad if this were the case.
‘It is good that there is no longer that between them,’ said Faith. ‘And I daresay Lady Sullivan knows men.’
‘I did not know you did, dear,’ said Hope.
‘All women must in a way, Mother.’
‘Well, I don’t see how, in some cases, dear.’
‘There would not be definite ways, Mother.’
‘Oh, well, perhaps we think the same. Now can we dwell on Sir Jesse’s lapse, and hardly mention Ridley’s?’
‘That is what we will do, if you please,’ said Paul. ‘But I should not have thought the boy would be so bold.’
‘I have been feeling an unwilling respect for him,’ said Hope. ‘And as in me respect is generally that, perhaps the rest of you feel a proper one.’
‘I cannot do that,’ said Faith, in a quiet tone. ‘But of course I have other feelings.’
‘I can’t help thinking of Grandma’s tragedy,’ said Luce. ‘It has not come today, but there must have been a day when it did come.’
‘There must,’ said Faith.
‘When the expedition involved what it did, no wonder Grandpa thought us too young for it,’ said Daniel.
‘Did Father find any traces of what had happened?’ said Graham.
‘He did not say,’ said Paul.
‘Perhaps Grandpa had prepared him.’
‘Does the freemasonary extend to father and son?’ said Hope.
‘I suppose a long period away from home does mean all kinds of things for a man,’ said Faith.
‘Ridley has done well enough in his own village,’ said Paul. ‘I hope he will not go further outside. For he will now remain away.’
‘Yes, I suppose he will, Father,’ said Faith.
‘Is there any likeness in the Marlowes to Grandpa?’ said Luce. ‘And is their real name Marlowe?’
‘Yes, it was their mother’s name,’ said Paul.
‘Of course, illegitimate children are called by their mother’s name,’ said Faith. ‘I have always seen likenesses in them, but I have never been able to place them.’
‘I have always thought the resemblance was to each other,’ said Graham, ‘and I think it chiefly is.’
‘The likeness to your grandfather would not strike people when no one looked for it,’ said Paul. ‘If the relationship had been known, there would have been no need to fancy it.’
‘The Marlowes are our uncle and aunts by half blood,’ said Luce, in her musing tone.
‘You had better forget it,’ said Paul. ‘If things are in our minds, they come to our lips.’
‘This thing does seem to,’ said Hope.
‘Now how are we to face Grandpa?’ said Luce.
‘Yes, that is how it will be,’ said Daniel, ‘when surely it should be the other way round.’
‘Poor Grandpa!’ said Luce.
‘I do admire you all,’ said Hope. ‘You have none of the severity of youth. I should hardly have expected Faith to be so tolerant; I might not even have approved of it. I think people must be better with each generation.’
‘I can hardly be accused of youth, Mother,’ said Faith.
‘And poor Grandma!’ said Luce, as if she could not in honesty give up this idea.
‘Yes, it is Sir Jesse’s career of deceit that is hard to forgive,’ said Faith. ‘That long course of deception of his wife. It goes against the grain.’
‘But you do forgive it, dear,’ said Hope.
‘He meant to die with that between them, Mother.’
‘It is there now,’ said Graham. ‘That is what he did not mean. He was just keeping his own counsel. He has never meant to die at all.’
‘He will never get over my being Ridley’s father,’ said Paul. ‘It may be a release for me in a way.’
‘And how about his own varied fatherhood?’ said Daniel.
‘I have already recovered from it. I am not the man he is.’
‘Yes, I do forgive it,’ said Faith, in a quick, low tone that rose as she continued. ‘Poor Eleanor Sullivan is in a sad position.’
‘It is greatly improved,’ said Daniel. ‘She prefers Father to Ridley.’
‘Well, in a position of peculiar difficulty.’
‘The worst is already past.’
‘It was a hard homecoming for your father.’
‘It was a sound instinct that led him to prepare us,’ said Luce, smiling.
‘He was fortunate, considering he failed to do so,’ said Graham. ‘He did not find his very name forgotten, or anything like that. And he seemed to be a little surprised.’
‘Why do we joke about it?’ said Luce.
‘I have not done so,’ said Faith, rising from her chair. ‘Now it is not a day for lingering.’
‘My heart fails before the prospect of our first family gathering,’ said Graham. ‘To think that Grandpa and Grandma and Mother must all be there!’
‘And this on the day when Father is restored to us!’ said Luce. ‘This is the thing I do not incline to forgive Grandpa.’
‘It must be difficult for you,’ said Faith, as if there were no question of the actual forgiveness.