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Chapter XV
Meg was the first of the children to wake at Alington House. It was only half past six, and she wasn’t supposed to wake Joyce until a quarter past seven. She wasn’t really supposed to wake her up then, especially when they had been out to tea the day before. Joyce was not really supposed to be waked up before half past seven. A quarter past was as far as Meg would go, and if she was awake earlier-well, there were ways. You couldn’t say she was waking Joyce up if she got out of bed and pulled out a drawer and then shut it again with a good vigorous push. She tried this twice, and Joyce just lay there and slept. It was too aggravating.
Suddenly she thought about Je
She got out and went tiptoe to the door and across the passage. She wouldn’t feel safe until she was inside Je
She was well inside the room with the door shut behind her before she saw that Je
Meg was frightened, and she didn’t know why. If she had known why, it wouldn’t have been so frightening. She didn’t know she was frightened, but she was frightened. She stood quite still and thought. It was Sunday morning. Perhaps Je
She hadn’t. She hadn’t gone to church. Meg knew it. And then her eyes fell on the clock which stood on the mantelpiece. It was an old-fashioned clock in a brown leather case, and it said half past six. The early morning service wasn’t till eight o’clock. She had waked up early, and Je
Meg was shivering. She went to the dressing-table. Je
It was no use looking any more. Je
Meg crept back to her room.
Things you can’t understand are always the hardest to bear. To know why is the first step to consolation. Meg didn’t know anything at all except that Je
The house woke slowly. Carter brought Mrs. Forbes her tea at half past seven. As she passed the little girls’ door on her way back she saw Meg standing there barefoot and trembling.
“What is it? Meg, what is it? What’s the matter? Is Joyce ill?”
Meg shook her head. The tears came rushing from her eyes again.
“No, not Joyce. She’s still asleep. How she can! It’s Je
It was a shock. Carter’s temper flared.
“What nonsense are you talking, Meg? And Je
Meg dissolved into helpless weeping.
“She’s gone! Oh, Carter, she’s gone! Oh, Carter!”
Carter ran across the landing and opened Je
As they stood there together, Mrs. Forbes opened the door of her room. She wore an expensive dressing-gown, and her hair was as neat as if she had spent the preceding hours at a ball. She frowned, told Meg to go to her room, and asked Carter what she was looking for. Meg, with her door opened a chink, listened, ready to run and get into bed if her mother’s attention should turn her way. At the moment it was all taken up with Carter.
“Where’s Je
“I don’t know.”
“What nonsense is this? Isn’t she with the children? She ought to be!”
Carter shook her head dumbly.
“She’s-she’s gone,” she said.
A cold fear sharpened Mrs. Forbes’ voice. She said quickly,
“What do you mean?”
“Her brush and comb’s gone, and her washing things. Oh, ma’am, I think she’s gone!”
“Nonsense!”
At the tone of her mother’s voice Meg trembled and ran for safety to her bed. Out on the landing Mrs. Forbes pushed past Carter, who was too dumbfounded to get out of her way, and herself made a quick and thorough search of the room. When she had finished she knew very well that Je
He was awake, lying on his back with his hands behind his head. Mrs. Forbes shut the door and came to the foot of the bed.
“She’s gone!”
When she spoke the anger came up in her so strongly that she could have killed Je
Mac did not move. He said in a voice which he kept lazy with an effort,
“What did you say?”
“I said Je
“What makes you think so?”
“I don’t think anything. It’s the plain fact.”
“I asked you what made you think that she had gone.”
His eyes were on her. He was the stronger of the two. She threw out her hands in a gesture and said,
“I don’t think anything about it. I know she has gone. She has taken the small case that she brought here with her night things in it. Her brush and comb have gone, and her washing things. Her bed has not been slept in, but the dress she wore last night is hanging in the cupboard. Her coat is gone. She has gone.”
There was a pause. Then he said,
“Why?”
Mrs. Forbes stared.
“How should I know?”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.”
“You didn’t come into her room last night and say anything?”
“Of course I didn’t!”
Their eyes met. She sustained his look and was inwardly thankful that she had nothing to hide. Mac took his hands from behind his head and got up.
“I’d better get dressed,” he said. “She can’t have gone very far. What money has she got?”
“I don’t know. Not very much.”
“You don’t know how much?”
“No, I don’t.”
“All right, I’ll get dressed, and then we can decide what to do. We shall have to be careful. If she’s Je
Mrs. Forbes said, “Hush! Are you mad?”
He laughed.
“No, I’m not mad. It just wants thinking about, that’s all. Now go along and let me get dressed.”
She turned and went out of the room. There were things she wanted to say, but she did not say them. She was a strong highhanded woman, but there were times when her eldest son frightened her. This was one of those times. She turned and went.