Anne and Eugenia
'If you please, my lady, there's someone called to see you.'
Eugenia looked up in surprise. She was in the library, occupied in
cataloguing Lord Selsey's books.
'It's a--well--it's not exactly a young person, my lady. She says she's
sure you will see her. The name is Miss Yeo.'
'Miss Yeo?' Eugenia looked puzzled. 'Show her in at once.'
Anne came in, coolly.
'I'm afraid you hardly remember me, Lady Selsey,' she said. 'We met last
summer. I was Miss Verney's companion.'
Eugenia held out her hand cordially.
'Of course, I remember you very well. Why, it was here we met! At that
musical party! Do sit down, Miss Yeo. Won't you take off your
mackintosh?'
'No, thanks. I must apologise for intruding. The fact is I've come about
something important. It's about Mrs Reeve.'
'Mrs Reeve?' Eugenia leant eagerly forward. 'Do, do tell me! Anything
about her interests me so much.'
'You'll think me very impertinent, Lady Selsey. But I can't help it.
I'll come straight to the point.'
'Do, please.'
'Mrs Reeve has had a terrible quarrel with her husband. She would have
left him this morning, but that I persuaded her to wait. I came to tell
you because I felt sure you would be sorry. It's about you,
Lady Selsey.'
'About me!'
'Yes. She saw you driving with her husband, and he didn't mention it.
She's jealous of you. Of course he explained it, but she doesn't believe
him. I thought he probably would not say anything about it to you. I
know, of course, it's a sort of misunderstanding. But I thought perhaps
you could do something about it to make it all right.'
'I _am_ grieved,' said Eugenia, clasping her hands. 'You know Cecil was
an old friend of mine, don't you? I met him again after many months, and
in a foolish impulse we went for a drive. That is all, of course. Miss
Yeo, I'm sure you're her true friend. This quarrel must be made up. What
can I do? What do you advise?'
'Even if this particular quarrel is patched up, she would always be
suspicious and jealous of you. It makes her miserable.'
'Poor darling, how ridiculous! I'm sure I'd be only too pleased never to
see the silly boy again.'
'I quite understand all that, but, you see, she's very proud. That sort
of rupture--all being connected as you are--would be noticeable to other
people, and she's very sensitive--she couldn't stand it.'
Eugenia thought a moment.
'Suppose we went away somewhere for a year? That would give her time to
forget this nonsense. My husband has been trying to persuade me to go to
the Ionian Islands with him--yachting. He'll be only too pleased if I
say I will. I'm a wretched sailor, but if it would do any good--'
'It would be perfect. It would all come right.'
'Then I'll do it. I had asked them to dinner for next week. I haven't
had an answer yet. I'll telegraph, putting them off, and
explaining why.'
'That would be splendid,' said Anne.
'Then it's settled,' answered Eugenia briefly.
Anne got up.
'Of course it must be understood that you know nothing about it--I mean
about the quarrel,' she said.
'Of course not. Not a soul, not my husband, nor Cecil, nor his wife
shall ever know a word about your visit, Miss Yeo.'
'That is very kind of you, Lady Selsey. I--well, you know I'm devoted to
Hyacinth. At first I was almost selfishly glad about this. I could have
got her back. We could have gone away together. But I can't see her
miserable. She has such a mania for Cecil Reeve! Isn't it
extraordinary?'
'Most extraordinary,' replied Eugenia emphatically.
'And since she's got him, she may as well be happy with him,' Anne
added.
'Of course. And she will. This misunderstanding won't do any harm in the
long run,' said Eugenia. 'If he had any real fear of losing her, it
would do him a great deal of good. He's devoted to her really, more than
either of them knows.'
'I daresay,' said Anne dryly. 'It's sure to be fixed up soon, and then
I'm going away too.'
'You are! Why, Miss Yeo?'
'Oh, I don't know. I feel I'm not in the picture. I hate the sight of
turtle-doves. If I've been able to do her a good turn in this little
trouble, it will be a great consolation where I'm going.'
'I'm afraid you're not happy, Miss Yeo?' said Eugenia impulsively.
'I don't know that I am, particularly. But does it matter? We can't all
be happy.'
'I'm sorry. I want everyone to be happy.'
'I suppose it's always a mistake to make an idol of anyone,' said Anne.
'I'm afraid Hyacinth thinks that is what her husband has done
about you.'
'_That_ would indeed be inexcusable!'
'She thought that the hopelessness of it had made him idealise you, and
even that worried her; but when she saw you together, and it
seemed--well, concrete treachery--she was furious.'
'It will bring them nearer than they have ever been before,' assured
Eugenia.
'Good-bye,' said Anne. 'I'll write to you--once--and tell you what has
happened.'
'Do, and be quick; I shall be busy buying yachting dresses. By the way,
you might take the telegram.'
Anne waited while she wrote--
'Frightfully sorry, dinner next week unavoidably postponed as
unexpectedly leaving town for season. Writing. Eugenia Selsey.'
'I will write to her when I've arranged it with my husband.'
Anne took the telegram.