Part 61 (2/2)

”Pack her off to Hampstead tomorrow,” Cedric observed gruffly. ”I _will_ not have you bothered.”

”Oh, Cedric! I'm not bothered--how can you? She'll be going next week, anyway, poor dear, and it may be easier for her to be herself with Barbara, who's her own sister, after all. But I don't know what about afterwards--when we get back.”

”You'll have quite enough to think about with Pam's wedding, without Alex on your hands as well. Violet,” said Cedric, with a note in his voice that Alex had never heard there, ”when I think of the way you've behaved to all my wretched family--”

Alex did not hear Violet's answer, which was very softly spoken.

She had turned and gone away upstairs in the dark.

XXVI

August

Was it, after all, only for Cedric's sake that Violet had kept her at Clevedon Square--had shown her such heavenly kindness and gentleness?

Alex asked herself the question all night long in utter misery of spirit. She had craved all her life for an exclusive, personal affection, and had been mocked with counterfeit again and again. She knew now that it was only in despair at such cheating of fate that she had flung herself rashly to the opposite end of the scale, and sought to embrace a life that purported detachment from all earthly ties.

”_I will have all or none_” had been the inward cry of her bruised spirit.

Fate had taken her at her word, this time, and she had not been strong enough to endure, and had fled, cowering, from the consequence of her own act.

Tortured, distraught, with self-confidence shattered to the earth, she had turned once again, with hands that trembled as they pleaded, to ask comfort of human love and companions.h.i.+p. Violet had not condemned her, had pitied her, and had shown her untiring sympathy and affection--for love of Cedric.

Alex rose haggard, in the morning. She wanted to be alone. The thought of going to Barbara in Hampstead had become unendurable to her.

It was with a curious sense of inevitability that she found a letter from Barbara asking her if she could put off her visit for the present.

The admirable Ada had developed measles.

”Good Lord, can't they send her to a hospital?” exclaimed Cedric, with the irritability of a practical man who finds his well-ordered and practical plans thrown out of gear by some eminently unpractical intervention on the part of Providence.

”I'm sure Barbara never would,” said Violet, laughing. ”Poor dear, I hope she won't catch it herself. It'll mean having the house disinfected, too--what a nuisance for her. But, Alex, dear, you must come with us! I'll send a wire today--mother will be perfectly delighted.”

”Couldn't I stay here?” asked Alex.

Cedric explained that the house would be partially shut up, with only two of the servants left.

”I shouldn't give any trouble--I'd so much rather,” Alex urged, unusually persistent.

”My dear, it's out of the question. Not a soul in London--you forget it's August.”

”But, Cedric,” said Violet, ”I don't see why she shouldn't do as she likes. It will be only till Barbara can have her, after all--I suppose Ada will be moved as soon as she's better, and the disinfecting can't take so very long. If she wants to stay here?”

”I do,” said Alex, with sudden boldness.

”You don't think you'll be lonely?”

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