Latter End

CHAPTER 9

Antony ran into Mi

“I shall have-to go.”

“Mi

“She wants me to.”

“My dear, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She said very slowly and stiffly,

“I’ve been here twenty-five years-but it’s no use-she’ll turn me out.”

Antony began to distinguish a pattern. He put a hand on her shoulder.

“Mi

She shook her head. Two slow tears overflowed and began to creep down towards her chin. She said,

“You can’t do anything-no one can do anything. If she has made up her mind to send me away, I shall have to go.”

He pulled up another chair and sat down beside her.

“How do you know she wants to send you away?”

The two slow tears dripped down upon her shaking hands. Others took their place, as pitiful and as unheeded. She didn’t turn her head, or look at him, or vary the tone of her voice.

“I went to the morning-room to ask her something-I forget what it was. When I opened the door I heard her say my name. She said, ‘I’ve heard of the very thing for Mi

Antony ’s face had set, hard and dark.

“Who was she talking to?”

“Jimmy.” For the first time the stiff voice shook.

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t seem to understand.”

“Well?”

“She told him. She said I was going, and he wanted to know why. She made him think I wanted to go. She said what a good thing it was, because it would save her the trouble of giving me notice. There’s going to be a butler again, and she said I wouldn’t fit in. I know she has heard of two maids.”

“But, Mi

She said, “Twenty-five years-it’s a long time. But I helped Marcia, and when she died there were the girls. There won’t be any place for me now.”

He said, “Jimmy wouldn’t let her turn you out,” and hoped, without any certainty, that what he said was true.

She turned her face to him. The tears were still ru

“We mustn’t bring him into it, my dear. It wouldn’t do, you know. It doesn’t do to come between husband and wife. It isn’t right, and it only makes trouble. If she wants me to go, there isn’t anything I can do-except go.” Her hands were still shaking. She got up. “You have been very kind, Antony. I am sorry I gave way. I shouldn’t have done so if I had had time to collect myself. It was just the shock, and ru

She went quickly out of the room, leaving a very angry young man behind her. It was all very well to say nobody could do anything, but he certainly wasn’t going to let it go at that. He thought probably the best chance lay in tackling Lois herself. You could work Jimmy up to the sticking point, but you couldn’t keep him there-not unless you got on to one of his half-dozen inhibitions. This business of turning Mi

The hospitality of his house-that might be ground on which Jimmy would stand and fight. Antony was tolerably certain that Lois would never get him to turn either Ellie or Julia from his door, charm she never so wisely. Whether this went for Mi

From his window he could see Lois on her way to the rose-garden with a basket on her arm. Ten minutes with Jimmy and he could follow her there. If there were going to be a row, the rose-garden would be an admirable place for it- well away from the house, and no interruptions.

Jimmy actually took a quarter of an hour, because he was so very much distressed that he had to be placated. He tramped up and down the study, rumpling his hair and demanding why Mi

“I thought she was fond of us all-I thought she was happy here. But Lois says she wants to leave-I can’t understand it.”

“Perhaps Lois could persuade her to stay.”

Jimmy brightened.

“Yes, yes-she can’t really want to go-Lois must persuade her!”

“I think she might. Mi

This was as far as he dared go, but it had a very good effect. Jimmy fairly snatched at it.

“Oh, if that’s all! Women get these ideas into their heads. Mi

“Would you think I was butting in if I talked to Lois about it?”

Jimmy brightened still more.

“No, of course not-why should I? A very good idea. You know, it upset me so much that I don’t feel I really got to the bottom of it. I don’t know when anything has upset me so much. I don’t like it, Antony -I don’t like it at all. Why-let me see-Mi

He found her in the most romantic setting. The beautiful Mrs. Latter in her rose-garden, the late summer sunshine bright on her auburn hair and the cool, flawless skin which never ta

Antony ’s sense of humour stirred angrily. A row would be a most glaring incongruity. Well, perhaps it wouldn’t be necessary to have one. After all, Lois had a brain if she chose to use it. There really wasn’t any sense in upsetting Jimmy and stirring up all this fuss.

Lois smiled delightfully as he came up.

“How nice of you! I was just wanting someone to carry the basket.”

He took it.

“You like being waited on-don’t you?”

“Very much.”