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About the date of Monica's apprenticeship at Weston, Miss Nunn had a chance meeting with Virginia and the younger girl; she was still teaching, but spoke of her work with extreme discontent, and hinted at vague projects. Whether she succeeded in releasing herself the Maddens never heard. It was a morning of doubtful fairness.
'But your brother got on well. Why didn't he help you? 'We couldn't agree. We always quarrelled. 'Are you really so ill-tempered? It was asked in Monica's most naive tone, with a serious air of investigation which at first confused Widdowson, then made him laugh. 'Since I was a lad, he replied, 'I have never quarrelled with any one except my brother.
This was daring speculation; he could not have endured to hear it from Monica's lips. But perhaps, some day, marriage would be dissoluble at the will of either party to it. Perhaps the man who sought to hold a woman when she no longer loved him would be regarded with contempt and condemnation. What a simple thing marriage had always seemed to him, and how far from simple he had found it!
Predisposed to believe a story of this kind, he could not reason as he might have done if fear of Barfoot had never entered his thoughts. The whole course of dishonour seemed so clear; he traced it from Monica's earliest meetings with Barfoot at Chelsea.
Monica is much the best person to see me through." "You are very fond of her, then." "She has been extraordinarily sensible with me." Margaret guessed at Monica's type "Italiano Inglesiato" they had named it: the crude feminist of the South, whom one respects but avoids. And Helen had turned to it in her need! "You must not think that we shall never meet," said Helen, with a measured kindness.
By an odd arrangement like everything else in the story of this pair, a result of social and personal embarrassments Monica's belongings, including her apparel for the day, were previously dispatched to the bridegroom's house, whither, in company with Virginia, the bride went early in the morning.
Monica sat down again, and Bevis disappeared to make the tea. Water must have been already boiling, for in less than five minutes the young man returned with a tray, on which all the necessaries were neatly arranged. With merry homage he waited upon his guest. Monica's cheeks were warm.
Virginia's voice inquired hurriedly who was there, and on Monica's announcing herself there followed a startled exclamation. 'Just a minute, my love! Only a minute. When the door opened Monica was surprised by a disorder in her sister's appearance. Virginia had flushed cheeks, curiously vague eyes, and hair ruffled as if she had just risen from a nap.
She intends to propitiate that dangerous lady; so I amused some eight or ten minutes in watching Cousin Monica's quick march and right-about face upon the parade-ground of the terrace. But no one joined her. 'She is certainly talking to papa, was my next and more probable conjecture.
I had better go and see Virgie to-morrow morning, and bring her back for dinner. 'If you like, Widdowson assented slowly. 'But why not send a message, and ask her to come here? 'I had rather go. It makes a change for me. This was a word Widdowson detested. Change, on Monica's lips, always seemed to mean a release from his society.
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