"Exactly. Run away!"
An automobile swung round the corner of the castle from the direction of the garage, and drew up, purring, at the steps. There was a flood of light and the sound of voices, as the great door opened. Maud rose.
"People are leaving," she said. "I didn"t know it was so late." She stood irresolutely. "I suppose I ought to go in and say good-bye.
But I don"t think I can."
"Stay where you are. n.o.body will see you."
More automobiles arrived. The quiet of the night was shattered by the noise of their engines. Maud sat down again.
"I suppose they will think it very odd of me not being there."
"Never mind what people think. Reggie Byng didn"t."
Maud"s foot traced circles on the dry turf.
"What a lovely night," she said. "There"s no dew at all."
The automobiles snorted, tooted, back-fired, and pa.s.sed away.
Their clamour died in the distance, leaving the night a thing of peace and magic once more. The door of the castle closed with a bang.
"I suppose I ought to be going in now," said Maud.
"I suppose so. And I ought to be there, too, politely making my farewells. But something seems to tell me that Lady Caroline and your brother will be quite ready to dispense with the formalities.
I shall go home."
They faced each other in the darkness.
"Would you really do that?" asked Maud. "Run away, I mean, and get married in London."
"It"s the only thing to do."
"But ... can one get married as quickly as that?"
"At a registrar"s? Nothing simpler. You should have seen Reggie Byng"s wedding. It was over before one realized it had started. A snuffy little man in a black coat with a cold in his head asked a few questions, wrote a few words, and the thing was done."
"That sounds rather ... dreadful."
"Reggie didn"t seem to think so."
"Unromantic, I mean... . Prosaic."
"You would supply the romance."
"Of course, one ought to be sensible. It is just the same as a regular wedding."
"In effects, absolutely."
They moved up the terrace together. On the gravel drive by the steps they paused.
"I"ll do it!" said Maud.
George had to make an effort before he could reply. For all his sane and convincing arguments, he could not check a pang at this definite acceptance of them. He had begun to appreciate now the strain under which he had been speaking.
"You must," he said. "Well ... good-bye."
There was light on the drive. He could see her face. Her eyes were troubled.
"What will you do?" she asked.
"Do?"
"I mean, are you going to stay on in your cottage?"
"No, I hardly think I could do that. I shall go back to London tomorrow, and stay at the Carlton for a few days. Then I shall sail for America. There are a couple of pieces I"ve got to do for the Fall. I ought to be starting on them."
Maud looked away.
"You"ve got your work," she said almost inaudibly.
George understood her.
"Yes, I"ve got my work."
"I"m glad."
She held out her hand.
"You"ve been very wonderful... Right from the beginning ...
You"ve been ... oh, what"s the use of me saying anything?"
"I"ve had my reward. I"ve known you. We"re friends, aren"t we?"
"My best friend."
"Pals?"
"Pals!"
They shook hands.
CHAPTER 25.
"I was never so upset in my life!" said Lady Caroline.
She had been saying the same thing and many other things for the past five minutes. Until the departure of the last guest she had kept an icy command of herself and shown an unruffled front to the world. She had even contrived to smile. But now, with the final automobile whirring homewards, she had thrown off the mask. The very furniture of Lord Marshmoreton"s study seemed to shrink, seared by the flame of her wrath. As for Lord Marshmoreton himself, he looked quite shrivelled.