In the sitting-room Hugh and Jessica sat down on the rug in front of
the fire. Hugh suddenly noticed her bare toes.
"My sweet," he said, "did you come running downstairs to me, all in
your bare toes?"
Jessica leaned restfully against him as she answered: "Of course I
did. I didn't dare wait in case Mother would stop me, and anyhow, I
forgot about slippers."
She took his hand and gently flexed the fingers one by one.
"I've been mad with excitement all morning," she said. "And now you
are with me I feel quite comfortable and easy and peaceful."
"We ought always to be together," said Hugh emphatically. "I hate to
think I'll have to leave you alone every day when I go to the office."
"Oh, but that's years away. A whole month at least before we need
think about it. All the same I would rather like to be a typist, or
perhaps something a little grander, in your office. Couldn't it be
arranged?"
"It could not, darling; not possibly; but anyhow it will be good
coming home to you in the evenings."
"It's a pity there are so many magazine stories," said Jessica
hazily, gazing into the fire. "You know the sort of stuff: bright
eyes at the window, or the little woman at the garden gate. Now I
shall be forced to stay on the sofa in my elegant yellow drawing-room
and when you come in I shall just look up from my book in a casual
way, and say, 'Hello Hugh!'"
"If you do wait like that I'll know you don't love me any more. You
never wait for people you love, or even people you like; you always
rush to meet them."
"Yes, but I'm going to be quite different now. When I'm a young
matron--isn't it a ghastly expression?--I shall behave like a young
matron and put away childish things and stop looking through a glass
darkly."
"All at once, sweetheart? Jessica, I do love you so."
Hugh caught her to him and kissed her, but she gently warded him off.
"I love you too, Hugh; I adore you, but you mustn't spoil my face.
It isn't vanity, but I do want to look lovely for you to-day."
"My dearest, you will. You couldn't look lovelier than you do now
all rumpled and crumpled, but still I've often looked forward to your
coming up the aisle to me in the gold frock and train that I've never
seen, with a veil all over your darling face."
"I'm not wearing it over my face; it didn't go with my kind of naked
forehead. It just falls back from a thing they call a fillet. Have
you really imagined that, Hugh?"
"Often. I've lain awake at nights thinking about it, till sometimes
I got so wide awake that I had to get up and walk about and hang out
of the window, and sometimes I got so drugged with my own thoughts
that I went to sleep thinking it was really happening."
"It's queer that you should love me so much, Hugh, but I should die
at once if you didn't."
The door opened, and a housemaid came in to see to the fire.
"Go away, Mary," said Jessica, dreamily. "We've only got ten minutes
together; we can't be interrupted."
"I'm so sorry, Miss Jessica," said Mary. "I'll see that nobody else
disturbs you. The fire can wait."
She closed the door very softly, and went downstairs to inform the
other servants that the sitting-room fire could await Miss Jessica's
pleasure.
"Wouldn't it be appalling, Hugh, if we really had only ten minutes
and then you had to leave me to go to China or some place."
"Awful!" said Hugh shortly, an expression of pain on his face.
"But we needn't worry," Jessica consoled him. "We've got all the
time there is, haven't we?"
"Darling, we'll need it; I can't ever have enough of you."
Jessica suddenly shivered.
"Are you cold, my sweet?" he asked anxiously.
"Not a bit. I suddenly thought of something."
Jessica fell silent.
"What did you think of to make you shudder like that? Tell me,
darling."
Hugh held her more closely, but Jessica did not answer for a moment,
and when she did, she spoke jerkily and nervously.
"I was thinking of that terrifying play 'Hassan.' Do you remember
how the two lovers could either be free and never see each other
again, or else have one night together and then die in torture? I
often think of that and I know I should choose to have the night with
you even if I did have to be tortured, but still it does frighten me."
"Darling, don't think of it. We're fools to sit and frighten each
other with idiotic impossibilities. Besides, every minute of to-day
belongs to me and I insist on you being happy."
Hugh spoke gaily, but as he looked down at Jessica, he saw two tears
hanging on her eyelashes.
"Jessica, dear," he said. "Nothing is really wrong, is it? You
haven't changed your mind about marrying me, have you?"
Jessica held him convulsively, and smiled, though her tears fell.
"No, of course not," she said. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just a damned
fool. I love you so and I get into dreadful panics about losing you
and not having you any more."
"I'll keep you safe, I promise," Hugh spoke earnestly. "I'll always
take care of you, my only love."
"I know you will, Hugh. It's all right really; I do feel safe with
you. Sometimes I lose my nerve, that's all, and the other day Mother
said something about not putting all my eggs in one basket."
"How silly." Hugh laughed scornfully. "What would be the use of
scattering them about in dozens of baskets. Besides your Mother did
it herself, and very successfully too; she adores your father."
Jessica sprang to her feet.
"Oh, Hugh," she exclaimed conscience-stricken. "I've never seen
Daddy all day, and I know he'll be feeling utterly miserable about
losing me. I must go to him at once."
"You're a vain creature; and anyhow, you don't want to go dashing off
this minute to look for him. I'll have to go soon and you can find
him then."
"Oh, dear, I suppose it's all right. I'll wait till you go."
Jessica sat down again, drew Hugh's arm round her, and leaned back
comfortably on his shoulder.
"I'm not vain," she said. "But Daddy really is different. He needs
me quite badly just as I need him, and often I feel guilty for
marrying you and leaving him."
"But, darling, I need you frightfully. Honestly I need you more than
your father. I know he loves you, but, my dear, I do more than that;
I couldn't live without you."
"I'm glad," said Jessica. "We're both in the same boat then."
Forgetting to care about her complexion she turned her face to Hugh
to be kissed. As Drusilla came in they broke apart from each other,
but Jessica still kept her arms linked around Hugh's neck.
"Must he go now?" she asked, vaguely. "How terribly cruel."
"Yes, I'm afraid he must," said Drusilla. "Its nearly twelve and it
will take you all that time to bathe and dress and have some sort of
meal. But it isn't really so very cruel you know, Jessica, you've
only got to wait about three hours till you have him for good."
"It is cruel," Jessica persisted wildly. "He'll never have me again
as Jessica Deane. It will all be quite different and it's been so
lovely up till now."
"But I'm longing for the end of Jessica Deane," said Hugh laughing.
"Don't laugh at me; you can't be certain that everything will be all
right; don't laugh at me," said Jessica brokenly.
Hugh took her in his arms.
"My darling," he said soberly. "I am certain that everything will be
all right. It won't be any different, only a million times better."
"Are you sure, Hugh? Are you really sure?"
"I promise you I am. Listen, sweet, I must go now and Drusilla will
help you to dress and look after you, won't you, Drusilla?" He
looked appealingly over Jessica's head. "And I'll be waiting for you
when you come up the aisle with your father, and you must tip me a
little wink when you get to me just to show me you're all right."
"Oh, darling, of course I'm all right," said Jessica happily. "I am,
Drusilla, aren't I? I'm only a little crazed to-day, it's all so
queer and lovely. I don't know what got me, I just suddenly felt sad
for a minute. I think it was thinking about Daddy, but I'll go and
comfort him a little when you've gone. Goodbye, my own dear love."
"I believe this is the only time I've ever said good-bye to you
without getting an actual physical pain in the pit of my stomach."
"My dears," interrupted Drusilla, still waiting in the doorway, "I
don't want to interrupt you, but--
"All right, Drusilla, I've gone; better do it quickly."
Hugh kissed Jessica, ran downstairs and in a moment the slam of the
front door echoed through the house.
Jessica stood still where he had left her, staring vacantly after him.
"Jessica, are you asleep?" Drusilla asked her.
She shook her head and her eyes lightened.
"No, I'm not. I'm awake and blissfully happy. Tell me, shall I go
and talk to Daddy now, or have my bath first? I haven't seen him all
morning."
"I honestly think you ought to start dressing first. Daddy's all
right. He is prowling round the house with everyone falling over him
and carrying dishes and things round him."
"Poor darling," said Jessica tenderly. "Don't let me have too hot a
bath," she warned Drusilla on the way upstairs. "I must be careful
not to let my hair go limp."