PHOEBE Of course he is. A bit rubbed up the wrong way just at present; that"s our fault. When Annys goes down, early next mouth, to fight the Exchange Division of Manchester, we shall have him with us.
[A moment.]
LADY MOGTON Where do you get that from?
PHOEBE From St. Herbert. The present member is his cousin. They say he can"t live more than a week.
MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS It really seems like Providence.
ANNYS [Has taken the opportunity of giving PHOEBE a grateful squeeze of the hand.].
LADY MOGTON You will fight Manchester?
ANNYS Yes. [Laughs.] And make myself a public nuisance if I win.
LADY MOGTON Well, must be content with that, I suppose. Better not come in; the room"s rather crowded. I"ll keep you informed how things are going.
[She goes out, followed by JANET.]
MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS I"ll stay with you, dear.
PHOEBE I want you to come and be photographed for the Daily Mirror. The man"s waiting downstairs.
ELIZABETH I"ll stop with Annys.
MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS I"m not quite sure, you know, that I take well by flashlight.
PHOEBE You wait till you"ve seen mamma! We must have you. They want you for the centre of the page.
MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS Well, if it"s really -
PHOEBE [To the others.] Shall see you again. [She winks. Then to MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS.] We mustn"t keep them waiting. They are giving us a whole page.
[PHOEBE takes MRS. MOUNTCALM-VILLIERS out. ELIZABETH has followed to the door; she closes it. ANNYS has reseated herself, facing the fire.]
ELIZABETH When did you see your husband last?
ANNYS Not since--Tuesday, wasn"t it, that we went round to his rooms. Why?
ELIZABETH I"m thinking about Manchester. What was it he said to you?
ANNYS Oh, we were, both of us, a little over-excited, I suppose.
He has--[she hesitates, finally answers]--he has always been so eager for children.
ELIZABETH Yes. So many men are; not having to bear the pain and inconvenience themselves.
ANNYS Oh, well, they have to provide for them when they do come.
That"s fair enough division, I su- [Suddenly she turns fiercely.]
Why do you talk like that? As if we women were cowards. Do you think if G.o.d sent me a child I should grudge Him the price!
ELIZABETH Do you want Him to?
ANNYS I don"t know; prayed Him to, once.
ELIZABETH [She lays her hand upon her.] It isn"t a few more mothers that the world has need of. It is the women whom G.o.d has appointed--to whom He has given freedom, that they may champion the cause of the mothers, helpless by reason of their motherhood.
[A moment. GEOFFREY enters.]
GEOFFREY Good evening.
ANNYS [Rises; a smile struggles for possession. But he only shakes hands, and it dies away.]
ELIZABETH Good evening.
[They shake hands.]
GEOFFREY You are not interested in the counting?
ANNYS The room is rather crowded. Mamma thought I would be better out here. How have you been?
GEOFFREY Oh, all right. It"s going to be a very near thing, they tell me.
ANNYS Yes, I shall be glad when it"s over.
GEOFFREY It"s always a trying time. What are you going to do, if you win?
[LADY MOGTON looks in.]
LADY MOGTON [Seeing GEOFFREY.] Oh, good evening.
GEOFFREY Good evening.
LADY MOGTON Chilvers, 2,960--Annys Chilvers, 2,874.
[She disappears--closes door.]
ANNYS Perhaps I"m not going to win. [She goes to him, smiling.]
I hope you"ll win. I would so much rather you won.
GEOFFREY Very kind of you. I"m afraid that won"t make it a certainty.
ANNYS [His answer has hardened her again.] How can I? It would not be fair. Without your consent I should never have entered upon it. It was understood that the seat, in any case, would be yours.
GEOFFREY I would rather you considered yourself quite free. In warfare it doesn"t pay to be "fair" to one"s enemy.
ANNYS [Still hardening.] Besides, there is no need. There will be other opportunities. I can contest some other const.i.tuency. If I win, claim the seat for that.
[A moment.]