"How very unsuitable! Are you speaking figuratively, Mr Maplestone?
Surely a clergyman's wife--"
"Clergymen's wives differ, Miss Harding, as greatly as the wives of
other members of society. They are not turned out by a machine, and
this particular one is very young, and not particularly wise."
"Apparently not. In what way has she `launched out'?"
"Oh-oh--" he vaguely waved his hands.
"Smart clothes, you know. Lots of 'em. Dinner parties. Luncheons.
Less parish work, and more amusement. Always trotting over to the
`Moat'."
The present owners of the "Moat" were rich City people who gave lavish
entertainments, and obviously chose their friends with a consideration
of how much amusement could be counted upon in return. Pretty, gay
Delphine was a valuable addition to a house-party, and would no doubt
receive as many invitations as she cared to accept; but the influence
could not be good. Continual association with smart, worldly people
would of a certainty heighten her discontent, and lure her into
extravagance.
I munched my cake in gloomy silence, which was not lightened by the next
remark.
"I'm sorry for Delphine's sake that--she--is away! If you worry it out,
this development is her doing. She ought to be there to put on the
brake!"
"What do you mean? In what possible way is Evelyn to blame?"
"Who spoke of blame? I didn't! It is natural to her to be dainty and
beautiful. She has the money, and she has the taste. What is wrong for
the wife of a poor man is a virtue in a rich woman. Even I--a man--who
never noticed such things before, found pleasure in her clothes. She
had one blue muslin--"
He looked at me with dumb, awed eyes. Surely never did a muslin gown at
somewhere about a shilling a yard, reap such a harvest of appreciation.
I shall preserve that dress in lavender and rose leaves for evermore.
"Until She came, Delphine had the field to herself in our little
village. Any comparisons must have been in her favour. Then suddenly
she found herself up against a new standard. Being young and--
er--_vain_, she evidently felt it necessary to her peace of mind to
follow the leader. From a spectacular point of view the effect is
good."
Spectacular indeed! I was too perturbed, too anxious to speak.
Evidently Delphine had been going in for an orgie of extravagance; a
pretty serious one too, since it had attracted the attention of a mere
man; and some of the responsibility seemed to fall on my own shoulders!
I determined to write her a letter that very night, and in absent-minded
fashion began to compose its sentences as I poured out second cups of
tea. "Although I have not written, you must not think that I have
forgotten you. I am leading a busy life, and have little time to spare,
but if you should ever need me; if there ever comes a time when you feel
I can be of real help, write to me through my lawyers, and I could meet
you in town, or even run down for the day."
Yes, that would do! That would open the way for confidences, if she
were in a mood to make them. In any case, I should feel more satisfied
in my own mind when I had sent off the message, and shown that I was to
be found if needed.
Looking up suddenly from the tea tray I beheld Ralph Maplestone smiling
to himself across the table, with precisely the same mysterious
accession of complaisance that I had noticed on his first visit to the
flat. Our eyes met, and he turned aside, drawing in his lips to hide
the smile, but the light danced in his eyes, and refused to be quenched.
Most mysterious and perplexing! His moods are evidently very variable.
I am glad he was pleased, but I should very much like to know why!