Part 22 (1/2)
The mere phrase, even when stated as a negation, gave him a sensation of ice suddenly laid against the heart.
”It's quite easy to tell the difference between the two kinds of men--those that care for me more than they care for themselves and those that care for themselves more than they care for me.”
”That's the way it looks to you--is it?”
”That's the way it is,” said she.
”There are some things you don't understand. This is one of them.”
”Maybe I don't,” said she. ”But I've my own idea--and I'm going to stick to it.”
This amused him. ”You are a very opinionated and self-confident young lady,” said he.
She laughed roguishly. ”I'm taking up a lot of your time.”
”Don't think of it. You haven't asked when the new deal is to begin.”
”Oh, yes--and I shall have to tell Mr. Tetlow I'm not taking the place he got for me.”
”Be careful what you say to him,” cautioned Norman. ”You must see it wouldn't be well to tell him what you are going to do. There's no reason on earth why he should know your business--is there?”
She did not reply; she was reflecting.
”You are not thinking of marrying Tetlow--are you?”
”No,” she said. ”I don't love him--and couldn't learn to.”
With a sincerely judicial air, now that he felt secure, he said: ”Why not? It would be a good match.”
”I don't love him,” she repeated, as if that were a sufficient and complete answer. And he was astonished to find that he so regarded it, also, in spite of every a.s.sault of all that his training had taught him to regard as common sense about human nature.
”You can simply say to Tetlow that you've decided to stay at home and take care of your father. The offices of the company will be at your house. Your official duties practically amount to taking care of your father. So you'll be speaking the truth.”
”Oh, it isn't exactly lying, to keep something from somebody who has no right to know it. What you suggest isn't quite the truth. But it's near enough, and I'll say it to him.”
His own view of lying was the same as that she had expressed. Also, he had no squeamishness about saying what was in no sense true, if the falsehood were necessary to his purposes. Yet her statement of her code, moral though he thought it and eminently sensible as well, lowered her once more in his estimation. He was eager to find reason or plausible excuse for believing her morally other and less than she seemed to be.
Immediately the prospects of his ultimate projects--whatever they might prove to be--took on a more hopeful air. ”And I'd advise you to have Tetlow keep away from you. We don't want him nosing round.”
”No, indeed,” said she. ”He is a nice man, but tiresome. And if I encouraged him ever so little, he'd be sentimental. The most tiresome thing in the world to a girl is a man who talks that sort of thing when she doesn't want to hear it--from him.”
He laughed. ”Meaning me?” he suggested.
She nodded, much pleased. ”Perhaps,” she replied.
”Don't worry about that,” mocked he.
”I shan't till I have to,” she a.s.sured him. ”And I don't think I'll have to.”
On the Monday morning following, Tetlow came in to see Norman as soon as he arrived. ”I want a two weeks' leave,” he said. ”I'm going to Bermuda or down there somewhere.”