Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Fiction; Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Politicians -- Fiction
"Why? Has anything happened?" asked Billy Foot.
"I think so." He bent down to the Nun again. "Miss Vintry has got to
sleep here to-night." His voice was low, but they were all very still,
and the voice carried.
"There's no room for her--with Gilly here as well as us," the Nun
protested rather fretfully.
"You must make room somehow," he returned firmly. "I'm going to bring
them in now." He looked significantly at Billy Foot. "We're rather a
large party."
Billy turned to his brother. "I'm off home. Will you stroll with me as
far as Halton?"
Gilly nodded in a bewildered fashion--he was not up in Meriton
affairs--and slowly rose.
"And when I come back I'll go straight to bed," he said, looking at Andy
to see whether what he suggested met with acceptance.
Andy nodded approval; Gilly would be best in bed.
With the briefest farewell the brothers passed out. As they went, they
saw Harry Belfield, with a woman on his arm, walking slowly up and down
on the other side of the street.
Sally Dutton rose. "I'll go to bed too." As she reached the door she
turned round and said, "At least I'll wait in my room. She--she can come
in with me, if she likes, Andy."
"Thank you," said Andy gravely.
"What is it, Andy?" the Nun asked.
"A general break-up," he answered briefly, as he followed Sally Dutton
out of the room.
The Nun sat on amidst the relics of her feast--the fruit, the flowers,
the empty bottles. Somehow they all looked rather ghastly. She gave a
little shiver of disgust.
Andy came in with Isobel Vintry clinging to his arm, Harry following and
carefully closing the door.
Andy made Isobel sit down at the table and offered her some wine from a
half-emptied bottle. She refused with a gesture and laid her head
between her hands on the table. Harry threw his hat on a chair and stood
helplessly in the middle of the room. The Nun sat in a hostile silence.
"She'd better go straight to bed," said Andy.
"She can have my room. I'll go in with Sally."
He looked at her. "She'd better have somebody with her, I think. Will
you call Sally?"
The Nun obeyed, and Sally came. As she passed Harry, she smiled in her
queer derisive fashion, but her voice was kind as she took hold of
Isobel's arm and raised her, saying, "Come, you're upset to-night. It
won't look half so bad in the morning."
Harry met Isobel and clasped her hands. Then she and Sally Dutton went
out together.
Harry sat down heavily in a chair by the table and poured out a glass of
wine.
"Do you two men want to be alone together?" the Nun asked.
Harry shook his head. "I'm just off home."
"It's all arranged," said Andy. "Harry goes to London by the early train
to-morrow. I shall get her things from Nutley directly after breakfast
and bring them here. You and Sally will look after her till twelve
o'clock. Then I'll take her to the station. Harry will meet her at the
other end, and--well, they've made their plans."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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