"But we shouldn't live in the country! We could live anywhere you liked!" Geoffrey said desperately.
"I like always to live in the best places," said Lola with simplicity. "And I must tell you, please, that you are hurting me."
His grasp on her wrists tightened. "Lola, you're saying it to tease me! You don't mean it! Oh, my God, you couldn't be so cruel, so utterly heartless!"
The beautiful brown eyes flashed. "It is not I who am cruel, let me tell you, but entirely you, my good Geoffrey, to wish me to marry you when you have not any longer any money!"
"But Lola, I'll make money! I know I can make enough for us to live on! It won't be a fortune, but we'll manage somehow."
"I find that you are being completely selfish. You do not think of me at all," said Lola austerely. "It is quite necessary that I should have a great deal of money, a fortune, as you say. And I wish that you will instantly let go of my arms, because though I do not make complaint you are hurting me excessively. And then you will go away so that I may dress myself, and after I have eaten my lunch, but not in the least before, you will drive me back to London."
He sprang up; his face was very white, his lips trembling incontrollably. "I can't believe it! I can't believe it!" he stammered, his voice breaking on a dry sob. "I can't give you up! I tell you I can't, I won't!"
"It is for us both a great tragedy," agreed Lola. "But your papa —"
The death-like pallor grew. "It's all his fault!" Geoffrey gasped. "Ever since I was born — and now this_! devil, devil, devil!" He dashed his hand across his eyes, and stumbled over to the door. "He's ruined my life, and my happiness, and taken you away from me God, I can't bear it!" He wrenched open the door and rushed out, almost colliding with Dawson, a breathless and entranced auditor on the landing.
"And out of my way!" he says, just like that, and he gave me a push that sent me up against the wall — Oo, Mrs. Moxon, you wouldn't believe what a push he gave me; it's a wonder I didn't fall over, it is really! And then he went off down the stairs, without one backward look, and out of the house, with no hat nor nothing, and leaving the front door open behind him, which Mr Finch'll bear me out is the solid truth!"
Chapter Five
At a quarter to twelve the General's voice was once more to be heard in the hall, this time shouting or his wife. He and Camilla had just returned from their inspection of the litter of springer puppies, and, whether by her desire, or his, it had become necessary for her to take back to town with her some of his famous roses.
Fay, who had only just emerged from her bedroom, and was in consultation with Peckham upstairs, at once hurried down. "I'm here, Arthur," she said in her fluttering way.
"Oh, there you are! I want Camilla to have some roses to take home with her," decreed the General. "Tell Lester, will you? Where is the fellow? I thought I'd made it plain that I wanted the front lawn mowed this morning? I suppose you've taken him oil that job to do something for you that could quite well be done tomorrow. It's always the way! As soon as my back's turned —'
"I haven't told him to do anything," said Fay wearily. "I haven't even seen him."
"Then where the devil is he?" demanded the General balked. "I must say I do think you might see that the servants do their work when I'm out!"
"If you had told me, Arthur -"
"Oh, don't let's have any argument about it!" begged Sir Arthur. "Though I should have thought — However, doubtless I was wrong. Find out what the fellow's doing, and tell him to cut Mrs. Halliday a couple of dozen blooms."
"It's most awfully sweet of you," said Camilla. "I do hope it isn't any trouble?"
"'Trouble? Good gracious me, it's no trouble at all, my dear Camilla. It's a pleasure. Only wish the roses were more worthy of you!"
Camilla gave her empty little laugh, and said archly: "Now you're trying to flatter me, and I won't listen to a word you say! Thank you terribly, Fay — it is good of you to bother! I'll just run up and take my hat off."
The General watched her go up the stairs, and became aware of his wife, still standing beside him. Since his conscience pricked him slightly, he naturally felt annoyed with her for being there. "Well, don't hang about looking like seven bells half struck!" he said irritably. "You might at least try to behave pleasantly to your guests. And kindly understand that if anyone wants me before lunch I'm busy, and don't want to be disturbed. I've wasted quite enough of the morning as it is. Look at the time! Ten to twelve, and as far as I can make out you're only just up! I wonder what my mother would say if she were alive today and could see the way you modern women lie in bed till all hours!"
"Oh, don't, don't," Fay cried out suddenly, putting her hands to her head. "I can't bear it! You're driving me out of my mind, Arthur!"
The General stared after her, as she turned and hurried away towards the garden-hall. "More nerves!" he said, with a short laugh, and walked into his study, and shut the door loudly.
It was just as well that he did not know that Miss Fawcett, who had spent the morning "doing the flowers', had already robbed the rose-garden of its choicest blooms. Now, conscious of rectitude, she had joined Stephen Guest on the terrace, and subsided into a deep wicker-chair beside him.
"I call it more than a little sultry," she remarked. "No double entendre meant, I assure you. Does my nose want powdering?"
"It looks all right to me," said Guest, giving it his consideration.
"I mistrust your judgment profoundly," said Dinah. "However, I don't think I can be bothered to go upstairs. Though I have noticed that it's becoming quite the done thing in this house to make your face up in the full view of — Oh, hullo, Mrs. Halliday! How were the puppies?"
"Sweet," said Camilla. "I adored them. Don't say I've butted in on a tete-a-tete! Where's Basil?"
Stephen Guest, who had risen politely, looked vaguely round. "I don't know," he answered. "I think he went into the billiard-room. Shall I go and see?"
"Oh no, don't bother, thanks," said Camilla, seating herself. "We are a small party, aren't we? I always think the Monday after a weekend is frightfully depressing. don't you? I mean everybody leaving, or packing, or something. I suppose it's much too early for a cocktail?"
"It's about twelve," said Dinah, consulting her wristwatch.
This hardly seemed to be an adequate answer to the question. Camilla gave a short sigh, and said: "Oh, well!" and began to drum her fingers on the arm of her chair.
The arrival of Mrs. Twining, a few minutes later, rated a diversion. She came through the drawing room out on to the terrace, looking, as usual, cool, and perfectly dressed. "I told that inestimable Finch that I'd announce myself," she said. "Good morning, Mrs. Halliday. I have had to go to Silsbury, Dinah. Such a bore, but you see that is why I am so early. It did not seem to be worth while to go home again."
Dinah shook hands with her. "Won't you sit down? I think I saw Fay going towards the rose-garden a minute or two ago. I'll go and tell her you've arrived."
"Let us both go and tell her I have arrived," said Mrs. Twining. "I should like to see Arthur's new standards. Mine have not done at all well; I believe it is the soil."
"Do you really want to see rose trees?" Dinah asked bluntly, as they walked across the lawn to the yew hedge that shut off the rose-garden.
"Not in the least, my dear. I want you to tell me just what has happened today. There is that peculiar and plague-stricken quiet about the house that usually means that there has been a great deal of unpleasantness."
"Well, there has," admitted Dinah. "There's been a row with Fay, and then a sort of skirmish with me (but that was my doing), and then what sounded like a really super-row with Geoffrey. I don't know what happened exactly, but Francis said that Geoffrey was looking pretty sick."