He helped her into the carriage, and as they drove to her destination he said, ‘There is another reason why it has taken me so long to discover her whereabouts. My father died recently, and there has been much to do regarding his estate. That is why I have given up the theatre. Miss Robinson,’ he turned to her, ‘I have arranged to meet Delia for lunch tomorrow. I wonder, would you do me the great honour of dining with me tomorrow evening? I shall be leaving the following morning.’
After hesitating for only a brief moment, for convention’s sake and because she was perverse, she said yes, she would.
‘Delia,’ Giles said as he put his key in the lock of the lodging house door, ‘I’m sure you’ve had a harrowing day, but I must beg five more minutes and tell you why I had to leave in such a hurry.’
She nodded. ‘Of course. You must have had a good reason for doing so.’ She opened the door to the residents’ lounge and turned up the lamp, which was burning low. ‘You must be tired too, so would you like to begin? You’ve heard the bones of my story; the rest can wait.’
He sank into a chair and put his hand to his forehead. ‘You are the first person I have spoken to about this – I haven’t yet told my parents, or even decided whether to tell them at all. In fact I believe I won’t, or at least not yet. I have to time it right, and there’s no need for them to know anything immediately.’
Delia didn’t answer. He was setting his thoughts in order and didn’t need a comment from her. But she owed it to him to listen; after all, he had listened to her when she needed a sympathetic ear and he hadn’t even met her son.
‘I don’t want to bore you, Delia, but I think you of all people will understand my dilemma and the decision I have made.’
She simply nodded and let him continue.
He rubbed his fingers wearily over his brow. ‘It’s as I suspected,’ he said. ‘Marion is pregnant with her lover’s child and that is why she sent for me.’ He looked up. ‘Have I shocked you?’
‘No,’ she declared resignedly. ‘I’ve long since stopped being shocked by anything. But I’m sorry if it complicates your life. Does it mean that you have to go back to York and live with her?’
Because, she thought, I would be very sorry indeed to lose our friendship. I have come to value it, more than I thought possible.
‘Good heavens. No,’ he retorted, ‘it does not! When I travelled to York I met her paramour for only the second time. The first time was years ago and he struck me as a principled man, and so he has been. They’ve somehow contained their love for each other in a platonic way. But it seems that that became impossible and she is now expecting his child; so he’s made the decision to emigrate to Canada. That is why I was summoned so urgently.’
‘Oh!’ Delia drew in a breath. ‘He’s going to leave her!’
Giles looked up. ‘No. He wants her to go with him and they will live as man and wife; they wanted to tell me that they’ll do this regardless of whether or not I agree to a divorce.’
‘So what will you do?’ she whispered.
He relaxed and it appeared as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. ‘We talked, the three of us, over various options and I said that to make it easier for them I would divorce her once they’d left England. It will give them a chance to settle in Canada and they can then deliver their decision not only to Marion’s parents, but to his too. I will tell my parents only as much as they need to know. That she has run away with the man she has always loved and that I am divorcing her. Marion can inform her parents that she is expecting a child if and when she wishes.’
‘You are relieved?’ she said.
‘I am, enormously.’ He gazed at her anxiously. ‘Am I doing the right thing, Delia? Does it matter if there is a scandal?’
‘You can rise above it,’ she said softly, after a moment’s deliberation. ‘Who’s going to be hurt? Her parents, perhaps – or yours. But then they forced both of you into a marriage that neither of you wanted.’
He stood up. ‘You’re right.’ He paused for a moment. ‘Will your friend Crawshaw be staying long?’
‘I don’t know.’ She looked up at him curiously. ‘I’ll know more tomorrow when I meet him for lunch. We’ve a lot to catch up with. Why?’
‘Oh, no reason,’ he said hurriedly, giving a forced laugh. ‘I only wondered if he was going to monopolize your time! I’m going up to bed now. I’m rehearsing in the morning to catch up with the latest scores.’ He bent down, took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, and kissed her cheek. ‘Thank you, Delia, for being so understanding. I really appreciate your – consideration.’
She gazed after him as he left and touched her cheek and felt a warm glow envelop her. It was a different kiss from the one that Arthur had bestowed; his were always fleeting, a peck merely, a transient acknowledgement of friendship. Giles’s kiss had been tender. It was also the first time she had received such a caress from a man.
You’re being stupid, she told herself. Don’t make anything of it. He’s a good friend, nothing more. Don’t spoil it. She swallowed hard. I don’t want more. I’m afraid
