‘Yes. How could I have been so wicked and stupid as to – Oh, Ferdy, if I had but listened to you this morning!’
He shook his head sadly. ‘Pity,’ he agreed. ‘Thought so at the time.’
‘But even then it would have been too late, for Sherry says they are betting on me in the clubs, and my reputation is quite ruined! Everyone is talking of me, b-bandying my name about –’
‘Let anyone bandy your name about in my presence!’ said George, grinding his teeth. ‘Only let them mention your name, that’s all I ask!Ishall know what to do if Sherry don’t!’
‘How did Sherry get wind of it?’ interrupted Mr Ringwood.
‘My cousin Jane wrote him an odious letter, and he came home at once, in such anger with me –’ She broke off, her voice becoming totally suspended by tears.
Mr Ringwood exchanged a glance with his friends. ‘Yes, well, you know, Kitten, can’t be surprised at that. Couldn’t expect Sherry not to be a trifle put out by this business, for it was not at all the thing. Going to tell you so myself, if Sherry had not come home.’
‘Oh, Gil, it is far, far more than being put out! You do not know!’
Ferdy cleared his throat. ‘Got a quick temper, Sherry. It don’t mean anything: give you my word it don’t! Dare say he’s forgotten all about it by now.’
She dried her eyes. ‘He is not in a temper now. I could bear that! But he says it is all his fault for having married me, and we cannot go on in this manner, and his mind is made up that I must go to Sheringham Place so that his mother may teach me – may teach me – But I would sooner die!’
‘Sheringham Place at this season?’ said Ferdy, horrified. ‘I wouldn’t do that, Kitten! Wouldn’t care for it at all! Can’t think how Sherry came to take such a notion into his head. Absurd, that’s what it is! Absurd! Tell you what: I’ll go and have a word with Sherry. Agitation of the moment, you know: probably never thought what the place is like in winter.’
‘It would be of no avail. I implored him not to send me there in disgrace, but he would not heed me. He said his mind was made up, and he should take me there to-morrow. He means to do so. But he shan’t, he shan’t! Lady Sheringham hates me, and she will tell everyone what I have done, and how I have ruined Sherry’s life, and when I saw his face to-night I knew it was true! Oh, Gil, oh, Gil!’
‘Did Sherry say that?’ demanded George fiercely.
‘No, no, but you do not know the whole! all the stupid things I have done, and now this! I can see that he is quite tired of it all, and wishes he had never run off with me. And I think he means to try to make the best of it, and he believes his motherwill help him, but she will not! So I made up my mind to go away, but then I did not know where to go to, and so I came to you, Gil, because I thought you would advise me.’
‘But, Kitten, you can’t leave Sherry like that!’ protested Ferdy. ‘I mean to say – married to him – better or worse! Not the thing at all!’
‘I know, but perhaps he will divorce me, and then he can be comfortable again,’ explained Hero, on a forlorn sob.
‘Good God, no!’ cried Ferdy, shocked. ‘Never had anything like that in our family, Kitten! Besides – well, what I mean is, no reason to divorce you!’
George released the chair-back and strode purposefully to the door. ‘Where’s the sense in talking? I’m going to find Sherry, and when Idofind him –’
‘Oh no, George! Pray, pray do not! George, I implore you do not!’ shrieked Hero, turning very pale.
‘Don’t put yourself about, Kitten! I give you my word, I won’t do more than mill him down. I’ll bring him here, and by God, I’ll make him grovel to you, so I will!’
Ferdy considered this proposition on its merits. ‘Shouldn’t think you would, George,’ he said judicially. ‘Very handy with his fives, my cousin Sherry. Drew your cork the other day. Very likely to do it again. No wish to cast a rub in your way, dear boy, but there it is. What’s more, I’ve never known him to grovel to anyone. Mind you, I don’t say he wouldn’t, but I haven’t seen it. Wonderfully stiff-necked, all the Verelsts.’
‘When Sherry hears what I have to say to him he’s not the man I take him for if he don’t come straight back with me to tell poor little Kitten he didn’t mean a word of it!’ declared George.
‘You don’t understand, George,’ Hero said sadly. ‘Perhaps he would listen to you, and perhaps he might relent towards me, because he is very kind to me, but you see – you see, it was all a dreadful mistake, and I ought not to have married him.’ Shebent her head, looking down at her tightly clasped hands. ‘Sherry – Sherry doesn’t love me, you see. He – he never did love me. If I had not been such a silly g-goose, I should not have – For he never pretended that he loved me, you know.’
George’s face twisted. He came quickly back into the room and laid his hand over both Hero’s and gripped them. ‘I know,’ he said, in a moved voice.
She nodded. ‘Yes, I – I thought you did, George. So, you see …’
There was an uncomfortable silence. George broke it, addressing himself with some asperity to Mr Ringwood. ‘Why the devil can’t you say something, Gil, instead of standing there like a dashed waxworks?’
‘Thinking,’ said Mr Ringwood curtly.
‘Well, you’d best think quickly!’ George said. ‘It only needs for Sherry to find she’s here for the fat to be in the fire!’
‘Sherry likely to miss you?’ Mr Ringwood enquired of Hero.
‘Oh no! He has gone out, and he will think I am in bed when he comes in. No one knows that I am not in the house.’
