Jenny faded out of the conversation.
“How you could!” she said to Richard when their visitors had gone away.
“How I could what?”
“You played up to her-you know you did. I think she’s a horrid girl.”
“Now I wonder why?” said Richard innocently.
“Richard, you can’t like her!”
He said, “Can’t I?” in rather an odd tone of voice.
They were tidying up the drawing-room. Jenny stood with a cushion in her hand and looked at him.
“Richard-do you?”
“Frantically!” he said, laughing.
Jenny threw the cushion. The minute she had done it she was afraid. But she wasn’t sorry. He dodged the cushion and caught her by the wrists. There was a tense moment. And then he kissed her. He couldn’t help it. And yet the moment he had done it, and whilst he was still wanting to do it again, he was afraid, because Jenny didn’t blush, or tremble, or laugh. She just went white and still with his hands on her. And he was afraid of what he had done. He let go of her.
“Jenny-”
“It’s all right.”
“Jenny-”
She stamped her foot.
“I said it was all right!” And with that she turned and ran out of the room.
Miriam and Mrs. Merridew let themselves in to the house next door.
“I thought you got on very well with Richard,” said Mrs. Merridew. “Where’s that cat? Here, Timmy-Timmy!… Yes, very well indeed. He must be dreadfully bored with that little cousin they’ve got staying there.”
“Oh, she’s a cousin, is she?”
“Some sort of. Of course, you know, her name isn’t really Forbes at all. I know all about her because my cousin Miss Crampton lives in the village this girl comes from. Her father-Miss Crampton’s father, that is -was the Vicar there-my old Uncle Thomas-and this girl is the illegitimate daughter of the last Forbes, the one who was killed in the war. Her mother died when she was born, and she stayed on with her mother’s old governess who lived just at the gates of the Forbeses’ house. Most awkward. I believe Mrs. Forbes did try very hard to get the governess to move away, but she wouldn’t budge. That will show you the sort of bringing up the girl had. And now that the governess is dead she’s had some sort of a row with Mrs. Forbes, and she turns up here with Richard at seven o’clock in the morning, if you please!”
“What a joke!” said Miriam.
“Well, I call it disgraceful- Oh, there you are, pussy! Now come along and see what I’ve got for you!” As she left the room she turned round to say, “A girl like that just doesn’t understand that Richard would never think seriously of her for a moment. I don’t know what she was doing gadding about with him as she was, but I wouldn’t put up with it if I were Miss Danesworth and Richard was my nephew.”
Jenny was very quiet all the evening-very quiet and very still. She didn’t come down again until just before supper. Then she excused herself and went to bed as soon afterwards as she could.
As soon as the door was shut on her Miss Danesworth turned on her nephew and said,
“What have you been doing?”
“I?” Richard’s tone was one of conscious innocence.
“Yes, you. And it’s no good your being like that about it. If you don’t want to tell me about it you needn’t. But don’t pretend that there is nothing to tell.”
Richard was standing by the fireplace. He had his back turned to Caroline. He was very fond of her. She was absolutely to be trusted. It was too soon to say anything. And then suddenly he was saying it.
“It’s Jenny,” he said.
“Yes?”
There was something in the tone of her voice that made it easier. He said,
“I’ve gone right overboard for her. I expect you know that.”
“Yes.”
There was a long pause. Then he said,
“I’ve rushed things, I’m afraid.”
“Yes?”
“I-I’m afraid I kissed her.”
“Well, that’s not the end of the world.”
“It might be.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it was all very light-hearted, and then suddenly she threw a cushion and I kissed her and it wasn’t light-hearted any more. She turned as white as a sheet and ran out of the room. I suppose now she thinks I kiss every girl I meet.”
“Probably.” After a pause she went on. “You are really serious about this?”
“Of course I am.”
“Well then, I should leave it all tonight. She’s had a shock. I think you’ve got to be careful what you say and do.”
“I think I have.”
“Well then, I shouldn’t do anything tonight. In the morning you can apologize for kissing her. See how she takes it. Don’t rush things. I think she’s had a fright. You want her to trust you.”
Chapter XIX
In the morning-it was Saturday morning-Jenny seemed more normal. She was rather pale and rather quiet, and she did rather cling to Miss Danesworth, or so it seemed to Richard. After suggesting two plans for the day and having them both turned down he acquiesced in Miss Danesworth’s suggestion that he should go over and see his friend Tommy Risdall.
“He’ll be wondering where you are, you know.” Then she turned to Jenny. “Tommy’s a pet-I’m most awfully fond of him. And he’s Richard’s oldest friend. He’s in the Navy. It’s such a chance his being on leave just now when Richard is. I don’t think he ought to miss the opportunity of seeing him-do you?”
Jenny said, “Oh, no,” without raising her eyes.
A call having established the fact that Tommy was at home, that he was bored stiff-“Well, you know how it is. The parents are both as busy as can be, and you’ll be a life-saver, I give you my word.”
Richard turned from the telephone to find Jenny in the room.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said.
“What have you been thinking about, Jenny?”
“About my being here.”
“Yes-”
“Well, I didn’t mean to stay-like this. I-I must think of something -to do-”
He made himself stay steady where he was by the telephone, but it wasn’t easy.
“Is that because of yesterday?”
Her colour rose.
“No-no-of course not. It’s just-” She stopped there because she couldn’t go on. It was dreadful. It was the most dreadful thing that had ever happened to her, but she couldn’t help it. And she couldn’t go on. She just stood there with her eyes wide and they looked at one another.
Richard couldn’t bear it. It was all very well for Caroline to say, “Give her time. Don’t rush her,” but there were things you couldn’t bear. He had started across the room to her, and she had lifted her eyes and looked at him, when there were steps in the passage and Miriam’s voice called out.
“Are you there, Richard? I’m coming in.”
Richard said “Damn!” under his breath and pulled up short. And with that Miriam came in.
“I’ve a message from Cousin Laura,” she said. “She wants you to come to lunch today, only it’s so fine that I suggested our making a picnic of it. There’s quite a nice place up on Hazeldon Heath. I don’t know if you know it.”
“I’m afraid,” said Richard, “that I can’t say yes. I’ve arranged to go over and spend the day with a friend at Tillingdon.”
“Oh-perhaps he’d like to come too.”
“Well, I’m afraid he won’t be able to do that.”
“Oh, dear-what a pity! What about tomorrow?”
“It’s Sunday,” said Richard.
Miriam smiled what she considered to be her most attractive smile.
“Does that matter?”
“Yes, I think so. This is a village, you know. A very fierce light beats upon villages. The only excuse for not going to church is the bed of sickness.”
“Well, Monday then-”
Jenny did not seem to be in on fhis conversation at all. Was she, or was she not, being invited? She didn’t know. She felt very, very angry, and she felt as if she was ten years older, and ten years younger. If she was really ten years older she would know what to do, and if she was ten years younger it wouldn’t matter so much. It mattered dreadfully. But at least she didn’t want to cry any more. Being angry dried up your tears. All this time she had not moved, but she moved now. She said, “I think Miss Danesworth wants me,” and she went out of the room.