A Civil Contract

you cannot wish — I mean, is it wise?”

Jenny was silent for a moment. “Well, I’ve been wondering that myself. Of course, the best would be if they were never to meet at all, but since that can’t be it seems to me better they should meet often enough for it to get to be an ordinary thing than to meet only by accident.”

“If only I had known!” exclaimed Lady Oversley, dissolving into tears. “I ought never to have allowed it, but it seemed so suitable! Oh dear, who could have guessed it would end in my cherished Julia breaking her heart? Though of course I should have guessed she would, because she always said he was like Sir Galahad, which I’m sure he is — if Sir Galahad was the one I think he was — Or don’t you think so?” she asked, perceiving that Jenny’s eyes had narrowed in sudden laughter.

“Well, I don’t know, but I shouldn’t have thought so. But I was never one for reading those old romances and legends that Julia dotes on,” said Jenny apologetically. “I do know that he likes his eggs boiled for four minutes exactly, and won’t touch muffins.”

“Won’t touch muffins?” faltered Lady Oversley.

“Can’t abide them! And there’s nothing frets him more than having his things out of order. He says it comes from living in tents, when there’s no bearing it if you don’t keep everything just so. I’ve been obliged to tell my housekeeper that if she can’t keep the maids from rearranging the things on his dressing-table she’ll have to leave at the term. Mind, for anything I know Sir Galahad may have been pernickety too — though I’d wager you an egg at Easter, as Papa says, that that’s not what Julia thinks!”

“No,” said Lady Oversley faintly. “No, indeed!”

“So, if you’re agreeable, ma’am, I’ll try if I can’t coax Julia to drive with me in the Park tomorrow. And if you and my lord would bring her to dine with us next week, when Adam’s mother and Lydia will be with us, we should be very happy. It would be a natural thing for you to do, wouldn’t it, with Lady Lynton going off to Bath, as she is, and spending a couple of nights in Grosvenor Street? It won’t be a regular party, though I mean to invite Lord Brough as well.”

“Oh, but Julia would never — Oh, dear, I don’t know what to say! Of course it would make an excellent impression, if it were known that we had all dined informally with you, but I’m afraid Julia would shrink from such a scheme!”

“I don’t doubt she will, but there’s no saying but what I may be able to bring her round my thumb. I’ll go up to her, if I may.”

Startled, Lady Oversley said: “No no! I mean she is so much overpowered — She won’t wish to see you, Jenny!”

“Very likely not, but she won’t have any choice. Now don’t be in the fidgets, ma’am! There’ll be no harm done, I promise you!”

With these words she got up, and walked briskly out of the room, leaving Lady Oversley feeling helpless and extremely apprehensive.

Chapter XI

The light in Julia’s room was dim, the blinds having been drawn across the windows. Shutting the door, Jenny said cheerfully: “May I come in? Though that’s a silly thing to say when I’m in already!”

She could just perceive Julia, lost in the middle of the large bed. The fair head turned on the pillow. “You!” Julia uttered.

“That’s right,” said Jenny. “I came to see how you did. You won’t mind if I draw the blinds back: I shall be blundering into the furniture if we don’t have a bit more light.”

“Have you come to reproach me?” Julia demanded. “You need not!”

The sunlight flooded the room; Jenny trod over to the bed, saying: “Now, when did I ever do so, goose?” She bent over Julia and kissed her cheek. “Stop fretting yourself to flinders, love!”

Julia shrank, turning her face away. “I wish you hadn’t come! You mean to be kind, I collect, but you don’t understand! If you had sensibility — ”

“Well, I haven’t, so there’s no sense expecting me to behave as if I had. And just as well for Adam I haven’t,” Jenny added, “for if I were to carry on as you do, Julia, he’d be driven demented between the pair of us!”

Julia pulled herself up. “I would not have spoken his name to you, or have uttered a word of what lies between us, if you had but refrained!”

“No, I daresay you wouldn’t,” agreed Jenny, shaking up her pillows. “So I haven’t refrained. Not that it’s an easy thing to talk about, but it makes for awkwardness if we must never mention it. I don’t know how to hide my teeth, either, so you say what you wish, and don’t fear to offend me, because you won’t do it.”

The huge eyes gazed wonderingly at her. “How strange you are!” Julia said. “I suppose I never understood you. But I thought I did! When they told me — showed me the notice in the Gazette — I wouldn’t believe it! You were my friend! You knew, but you stole Adam from me! How could you?”

“That’s more than I can tell you, for I didn’t steal him, and wouldn’t have done so, even if I’d thought I could. What, set myself up as a rival to you? Don’t talk such nonsense, Julia! Papa made the match, unbeknownst to me.”

“Oh, that’s contemptible!” Julia interrupted, flinging up her hand. “Next you will tell me it was not in your power to refuse!”

“No, I shan’t. I did refuse, when he first broached it to me — before I knew how things stood — that things had been put an end to between you and Adam. He couldn’t have married you, Julia! He was all to pieces! I daresay you don’t know what his father’s debts were, for it’s not likely he’d tell you, but Papa knew, and he told me. Adam was selling everything — even Fontley!”

“That at least I knew! And he knew it didn’t weigh with me! I would have lived in a hovel, and counted myself happy! You may smile, but it’s true!”

Jenny begged pardon, but said: “It weighed with him — I think, more than anything. I don’t understand that myself, but I can see what’s under my nose. He wouldn’t have been happy, not if he’d lost Fontley.”

“I would have made him so! Do you think you will? You won’t! It’s me he loves, not you!” She caught her breath, and said quickly: “Oh, no, no, I didn’t mean to say that! Hateful, hateful — ! Go, Jenny! pray go now!”

Jenny paid no heed to this, but answered: “I know that. There’s no pretence of love between him and me: that wasn’t part of the bargain.”

“The bargain!” Julia exclaimed, shuddering. “No, I can never have understood you!”

“Or him,” interpolated Jenny dryly.

Julia stared at her, repeating slowly: “Or him! No — or him! Ah, but yes, I do understand what forced him to do it! But you? For a title? But you never cared for such things! You can’t, have sold yourself for mere position!”

“Why not? I’m not the first, and I shan’t be the last to do so. Easy to despise what you’ve always had!” replied Jenny, returning the stare doggedly.

“I don’t believe it! I couldn’t have liked you if you had been so mercenary!”

“Well, it doesn’t make any odds what you think of me, and the lord knows I’ve felt badly enough about it. I wouldn’t have consented to it if there had been the least chance of his being able to many you, but there wasn’t. He didn’t choose between me and you, Julia: it was between me and ruin. You say he won’t be happy, but at least he’ll be comfortable! What’s more, he’s got Fontley, and for all you may not think it that matters to him.” She paused. “Well, there’s no more to be said on that head. What brought me here was what happened last night.”

Julia winced. “Don’t! I can’t endure any more! Papa — even Mama — ! Good God, do they think — do you think — that I meant to betray myself?”

“Well, your mama and I don’t think it. I can’t answer for his lordship, but I don’t suppose he does either — not but what you can’t blame him, if he cut up stiff, because there’s no denying you did make us all look no- how!”