sort of thing seriously, you know.' Dr. Chalmers's voice was quite treacly with soothing syrup.
'Ronald will find he's got to take me seriously,' said Ena, setting her mouth like a rat trap.
'How do you mean?'
'I could make things very awkward for Ronald. Very awkward. And that's just what I intend to do.'
'But how?'
'I don't like that woman he thinks he's going to marry, Mrs. Lefroy.'
'Oh, don't you? I think she's particularly charming.'
'Yes, no doubt. It takes a woman to see through her type. I call her a bad lot.'
'Really, Ena, you mustn't say that kind of thing, you know.'
Ena began to breathe more quickly. 'I shall say exactly what I like. I shall say what I think. Mrs. Lefroy isn't the kind of woman whom I intend to have as a sister - in - law.'
'But why?'
'She's been extremely rude to me this evening.'
'Oh, come, Ena, I'm sure she didn't mean to be.'
'Oh, yes, she did. Do you think I don't know?'
'But what has she done?'
'Nothing! That's just the point. She just nodded to me, in the most offhand way, when we arrived, and hasn't spoken a word to me all the evening. If she thinks she can treat me like that, she's quite mistaken.'
'Ena, you're exaggerating again.'
'I tell you I'm not, Phil. I know. Margot was bad enough, but this woman's worse. But I can get my own back on them. They'll soon see that.'
'What are you thinking of doing, Ena?' Dr. Chalmers asked, relighting his pipe.
'It's not what I'm thinking of doing, it's what I'm jolly well going to do. I'm going to write to the King's Proctor about the two of them.'
'Oh, nonsense, Ena. You can't do a thing like that.'
'Can't I? They'll very soon see whether I can or not. No, it's no good you saying anything, Phil. I've been thinking about it, up here, and I've made up my mind. It's simply horrible the way they go on. Somebody ought to stop it in any case.'
'But, my dear girl, you've nothing to go on. This is only guesswork. You've no evidence.'
Ena uttered a hard little bray of a laugh. 'Oh, yes, I have. I'm afraid they'll be surprised, but I have. And evidence that they won't be able to explain away, either.'
'But how could you possibly have got it?'
'Never mind that, Phil; I've got it. And I'm going to use it. You can tell Ronald so, if you like. I don't care. If he thinks he can treat me like that in public, he'll find he's very much mistaken.'
Dr. Chalmers sighed. The emollient did not seem to have acted. 'You'll feel quite different in the morning, Ena. Believe me, you will.'
'Then I don't believe you, Phil,' said Mrs. Stratton shortly.
Dr. Chalmers sighed again. He did not believe himself either.
Mrs. Stratton's bosom began to heave once more. 'And as for David ...'
'Yes?' asked Dr. Chalmers, disguising with difficulty his apprehension.
Mrs. Stratton sat for a moment or two in silence, while the heaving of her bosom grew more and more tumultuous. Then she almost threw herself round in her chair and burst out: 'What do you know about David and that Griffiths creature?'
'Elsie Griffiths? Why, nothing. What is there to know?'
'But you know all right which of the Griffiths girls it is, don't you?' cried Ena with bitter triumph.
'My dear Ena, I simply don't know what you're talking about.'
'Oh, yes, you do, Phil, so you needn't put on that damned smooth voice any longer. Everyone's known about it, I expect, except me. That's always the way, isn't it? The wife hears last of all.' Ena began to laugh shrilly.
'Ena,' said Dr. Chalmers most impressively, 'if you're suggesting that there's anything at all between David and Elsie Griffiths, I can assure you you're absolutely mistaken.'
'Oh, you can, can you? And how do you happen to know there isn't, Phil?'
'I'm quite certain there isn't.'
'Then you're wrong, because there is. My God, when I think of all I've done for David . . . But if that little cat thinks she's going to get him . . . Oh, really, Phil, it's terribly funny, when one comes to think of it, isn't it? Terribly funny!'
'Ena, you're getting hysterical,' Dr. Chalmers said, with professional sharpness.
'I don't care. Why shouldn't I? I've had enough to make me. I've had a terrible evening, Phil. You must have seen how rude Ronald's been to me all the time. And horrible men trying to make love to me.' She looked expectantly at Dr. Chalmers.
'Oh?' said that gentleman, warily.
'Yes. My God, Phil, why can't men leave a woman alone? Really, you're the only decent one of the lot. It's simply disgusting.'
'Who's been trying to make love to you, Ena?'
'Oh, everyone. They always do. I suppose there must be something about me . . . Good heavens, I wish there wasn't. That horrible Mr. Williamson . . .'
'Oh, yes?' said Dr. Chalmers with great heartiness. 'What did he do?'
'He tried to make me sit on his knee. In here. It was frightfully awkward. And Mr. Sheringham was worse. Really, Phil, I can't think how Ronald could have invited him. He's the most disgusting man I've ever met. I simply had to fight him to get away.'
'You do have a tough time with the lads, don't you, Ena?' said Dr. Chalmers.
'With all except you,' said Mrs. Stratton seriously. 'You've never tried to make love to me, Phil. I wonder why you haven't.'
This time Dr. Chalmers was a little more tactful. 'David happens to be a friend of mine, Ena.'
'Yes,' agreed Mrs. Stratton mournfully. - 'You're terribly fond of David, aren't you, Phil?'
'He's always been my best friend,' said Dr. Chalmers, with hearty lack of emotion.
'It must be wonderful to be a man and be able to have a real friend,' regretted Mrs. Stratton.
'Yes, I expect it is.'
The conversation then paused, apparently for contemplation by Mrs. Stratton of her feminine handicap. Then she leaned a little towards her companion. 'I don't think David would mind in the least, you know, Phil. Not now.'
'Mind what?'
'Your making love to me,' said Ena, in a small but hopeful voice.
Dr. Chalmers realized that he had already been labelled as suffering from a hopeless passion for his companion, which only masculine loyalty withheld him from voicing. He was in something of a difficulty. Ena was usually ready to pay attention to him, he knew; so far as she could respect anyone besides herself, she respected him. He had not yet given up all hope of persuading her to take no steps in the two matters in which her emotions were involved. But to do so, he must reduce her to softer mood. That Ronald had wanted to get rid of her, and had let her see it quite plainly, he was perfectly ready to believe; Ronald was not tactful. Ena's amour - propre, that tender plant, had been badly damaged. He was being offered the chance of administering a little nourishment to it in the obvious and traditional way.
Dr. Chalmers, however, was a cautious man. He never acted on impulse. Before taking action, he would weigh the fors and againsts not once but several times. It is possible that had he been a little less deliberate, he might have shut his eyes, taken a deep breath, and proceeded to administer the more practical rehabilitation for which he was being asked. As it was, consideration showed him that to embrace Ena Stratton would probably make him physically ill. He therefore contented himself, but not her, with reaching out his sound hand, patting her paternally on the shoulder, and saying with bluff joviality:
'Nonsense, Ena. Of course David would mind. Besides, you know you wouldn't like me to do anything of the sort. Would you? It would spoil - h'm! - everything.'
Ena paused for a moment. Then she nodded solemnly.
