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Luke Widdowson were the sole friends of her husband that Monica had seen. Mr. Newdick enjoyed coming to Herne Hill. Always lugubrious to begin with, he gradually cheered up, and by the time for departure was loquacious. But he had the oddest ideas of talk suitable to a drawing-room.
It was one of the quietest of weddings, but all ordinary formalities were complied with, Widdowson having no independent views on the subject. Newdick, a musty and nervous City clerk. Depression was manifest on every countenance, not excepting Widdowson's; the man had such a stern, gloomy look, and held himself with so much awkwardness, that he might have been imagined to stand here on compulsion.
The vivacious lady did not stay long. When she had rustled forth again to her carriage, Widdowson broke into a paean of amorous gratitude. What could he do to show how he appreciated Monica's self-denial on his behalf? For a day or two he was absent rather mysteriously, and in the meantime made up his mind, after consultation with Newdick, to take his wife for a holiday in Guernsey.
'An immoral lot there, he said, smiling and shaking his head. 'Queer goings on. 'Oh, but that's among the foreigners, isn't it? Thereupon Mr. Newdick revealed his acquaintance with English literature. 'Did you ever read any of Ouida's novels? 'No, I never did. 'I advise you to before you think of taking your wife over there. She writes a great deal about those parts.
The name of my future wife is Miss Agnes Brissenden. It will be in March, I think. But I shall see you before then, and give you a fuller account of myself. Widdowson tried two or three lodgings; he settled at length in a small house at Hampstead; occupying two plain rooms. Here, at long intervals, his friend Newdick came to see him, but no one else.
Newdick, trembling and bloodless, proposed Monica's health; Widdowson, stern and dark as ever, gloomily responded; and then, that was happily over. By one o'clock the gathering began to disperse. Monica drew Rhoda Nunn aside. 'It was very kind of you to come, she whispered, with half a sob. 'It all seems very silly, and I'm sure you have wished yourself away a hundred times.
Monica was home again long before dinner-time. When that hour arrived her husband had not yet come; the delay, no doubt, was somehow connected with his visit to Mr. Newdick. But this went on. At nine o'clock Monica still sat alone, hungry, yet scarce conscious of hunger owing to her miseries. Widdowson had never behaved thus. Another quarter of an hour and she heard the front door open.
Fearful of solitude, he proposed to his friend Newdick that they should live together, he, as a man of substance, bearing the larger share of the expense. And this plan also came into execution.
Her talk was of the most insignificant things; this afternoon she spent nearly half an hour in describing a kitten which Mrs. Conisbee had given her; care of the little animal appeared to have absorbed her whole attention for many days past. Another visitor to-day was Mr. Newdick, the City clerk who had been present at Monica's wedding. He and Mrs.
Monica propped herself on her elbow and asked why he was moving so early. 'I want to be in the City at nine, he replied, with a show of cheerfulness. 'There's a money affair I must see after. 'Something that's going wrong? 'I'm afraid so. I must lose no time in looking to it. What plans have you for to-day? 'None whatever. 'It's Saturday, you know. I promised to see Newdick this afternoon.
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