She and Mr. Darley, Mrs. Delafield was aware, presented precisely the
abstracted, alienated air that Parton would expect. The young man moved
away to the window while she took from the salver the note Parton
presented. Then, her hand arrested in the very act by a recognition,
“Is there an answer?” she asked.
“No answer, ma’am.”
“Who brought it?”
“A man from the station, ma’am.”
“Very well, Parton.”
Parton was gone. Mr. Darley kept his back turned. She held the note in
her hand and stared at it. The writing was Rhoda’s; the envelope one of
the station-master’s. She had been at the station, then, when she wrote,
four miles away. The London train, for which she had been waiting, had
gone long since; it had gone before the arrival of Mr. Darley’s.
An almost overpowering presage rose in her mind; she could hardly, for a
moment, summon the decision with which to open the envelope. Then,
reading as she stood, she felt the blood flow up to her face.
For it was almost too much, although it was, through Rhoda’s act, she
who had won finally. Even she, then, had not yet correctly measured
Rhoda’s irony or Rhoda’s sardonic assurance. Rhoda, after all, did not
care to keep up appearances with her, and, after all, why should she?
Here was fact, and it had been fact all through. She wanted most to go
back. She wanted it more than to be dignified in her aunt’s eyes, or,
really, in anybody else’s. Once back Rhoda would take care of her
dignity. In a flash Mrs. Delafield saw how little, when all was said and
done, Rhoda would pay.
DEAR AUNT ISABEL [she wrote, in her ample, tranquil hand]: I’ve
been thinking over all you said and have come to the conclusion
that you are considering me too much. I feel that I must consider
my child. I have made a grave mistake and am not too proud to own
it. Christopher and I are not at all fitted to make each other
happy. So I have wired to father that I arrive this afternoon, and
to Niel that I will see him to-morrow. I have written too, of
course, to my poor Christopher. But he will understand me. Thank
you so much, dear Aunt Isabel, for your kindness and helpfulness.