Swinbum said he could not help his love for Stella. Try as he might it was no use; his feeling tor her swamped everything. His career meant nothing to him without her, and he proposed starting afresh somewhere abroad.
Rodney pitied him from the bottom of his heart. He knew Stella had nothing to give any man; what she offered was a mirage. But it had the power to drive a man mad, as he knew only too well.
That it drove Barrington mad was made tragically evident, for, although Barrington knew that he was supplanted by Swinbum, the canker of desire for Stella seemed to grow with the hopelessness of its fulfilment. It reached its climax when he visited her after reading the notice of the divorce proceedings. The result of this meeting which gave Rodney his freedom by Stella's death instead of by divorce shocked him so much that, for a time, he thought he too would lose his sanity.
At dinner-time Rodney spoke less than usual. Kate was filling his mind again. He felt tied to this place because of her; something beyond reason said it was to here she would return, even to the fifteen streets.
He was recalled to the effect his silence was having on the others by Peter saying, "Do stop jabbering, Cathleen!"
Rodney roused himself: "Good heavens, Peter! Don't keep her quiet on my account.... Look here, don't you think it's about time you stopped treating me as an invalid? Go on, Cathleen."
"Who said it was on your account? You flatter yourself, man. I've had a devil of a morning, and now I want a little peace while I'm eating my dinner. For her tongue never stops wagging."
"Unde Rodney doesn't mind, do you?" asked Cathleen.
"Of course not." He smiled at her and winked his eye.
"Unde," said Michael, 'you should see the Meccano set working in a shop in King's Street in Shields. It's wonderful They've got cranes unloading ships and filling wagons, and' it all set up in a miniature dock. Oh, it's great 1' "It sounds great," said Rodney. He did a stage whisper across the table: "What about asking Doctor Davidson to take us round that way in his car this afternoon?"
"Not on your life 1' cried Peter.
"Oh, no. And me up to the eyes and you hardly out of bed 1' '0 ... oh, daddy 1' " It would be just what a sensible doctor would order," said Rodney, 'a change of scene. And I'm sick of looking at your filthy river."
"Be quiet you two," shouted Peter to Cathleeen and Michael.
"And if you want a change of scene, look out of the back window," he said to Rodney.
"And, woman," he glared at Peggy 'if I can't have peace with my dinner I'm going to eat out. "
She smiled at him serenely.
"If Rodney wrapped up well, and we made him comfortable in the back of the car, these two could squeeze in the front seat' she indicated the children.
"Then, I don't see why not.
And, after all, it's Christmas Eve. "
"I have calls to make, woman."
"Well, they wouldn't stop you; they could sit in the car and wait."
"No, I just can't do it! If those two want to go to Shields they can take the tram. And as for you' he nodded at Rodney 'you should have more sense, man."
They looked at him in silence for a few moments.
"Oh, all right then," he said, his old smile breaking out, "But I can't take you till after tea; I'm packed with calls in Jarrow this afternoon."
The gaily dressed shop windows, the alive and teeming market-place, and the excitement of the children, lifted Rodney out of himself for a time. But only until he thought of what it would have meant to him had he been driving down here with Kate and Annie. However, he maintained an air of excitement in order to please the children and to allay any unrest in Peter's mind. But during the homeward drive to Jarrow he felt very tired and lay back in the car, feeling his strength seeping from him.
Half turning, Peter said: "Do you mind if I make a call in the fifteen streets; there's a woman there I'd like to see? It might save me coming out later on."
"No, of course not," said Rodney.
"Don't worry about me. Go ahead."
"I'll leave you here, on the main road," said Peter, bringing the car to the kerb; 'the house is only a few doors up Slade Street. "
Cathleen slipped into her father's seat and was arguing with Michael on who would learn to drive the car first when Michael suddenly exclaimed:
"Look, Cathleen I Look at that old woman along there. She's drunk 1
She's hanging on to the lamppost."
"Oh, so she is! She isn't half drunk, too. And she's coming this way," said Cathleen, peering through the windscreen.
"Look at the boys following her. Look, Uncle Rodney, she's nearly falling!"
Rodney bent forward. Then swiftly he leant back again as he recognised the figure reeling into the circle of light to be that of Dorrie Clarke. He prayed that she would pass on and would not come near the car; this was the woman who had read his letters. He could still hear Stella's voice quoting extractions from them and telling him-how they came into her possession.
The children sat silent, watching the woman. She was harrying the boys. When she was abreast the car she stumbled against the radiator and let out an exclamation: "God blast yeri Bum an old woman, would yer?" she cried.
Cathleen and Michael started to giggle, and Dorrie Clarke waved her fist at them shouting, "You would laugh? That's a Christian for yer!"
She brought her face close to
