Part 53 (1/2)
”You're all she has got, and she'll be under the impression--the remarkably vivid impression--that she's losing you.”
”But _that's_ so unreasonable. She isn't losing me. It's sheer gain.
Without the least effort or bother on her part she's acquiring a brother-in-law.”
”Oh, I know what Christopher feels,” said Mr. Twist, going up and down the room quickly. ”I know right enough, because I feel it all myself.”
”But _that's_ so unreasonable,” said Anna-Felicitas earnestly. ”Why should two of you be feeling things that aren't?”
”She has always regarded herself as responsible for you, and I shouldn't be surprised if she were terribly shocked at your conduct.”
”But there has to _be_ conduct,” said Anna-Felicitas, still very gentle, but looking as though her feet were getting wetter. ”I don't see how anybody is ever to fall in love unless there's been some conduct first.”
”Oh, don't argue--don't argue. You can't expect Anna-Rose not to mind your wanting to marry a perfect stranger, a man she hasn't even seen.”
”But everybody you marry started by being a perfect stranger and somebody you hadn't ever seen,” said Anna-Felicitas.
”Oh Lord, if only you wouldn't _argue_!” exclaimed Mr. Twist. ”And as for your aunt in England, what's she going to say to this twenty-four-hours, quick-lunch sort of engagement? She'll be terribly upset. And Anna-Rose knows that, and is I expect nigh worried crazy.”
”But what,” asked Anna-Felicitas, ”have aunts to do with love?”
Then she said very earnestly, her face a little flushed, her eyes troubled, ”Christopher said all that you're saying now, and a lot more, down in the garden before I came to you, and I said what I've been saying to you, and a lot more, but she wouldn't listen. And when I found she wouldn't listen I tried to comfort her, but she wouldn't be comforted. And then I came to you; for besides wanting to tell you what I've done I wanted to ask you to comfort Christopher.”
Mr. Twist paused a moment in his walk. ”Yes,” he said, staring at the carpet. ”Yes. I can very well imagine she needs it. But I don't suppose anything I would say--”
”Christopher is very fond of you,” said Anna-Felicitas gently.
”Oh yes. You're both very fond of me,” said Mr. Twist, pulling his mouth into a crooked and unhappy smile.
”We love you,” said Anna-Felicitas simply.
Mr. Twist looked at her, and a mist came over his spectacles. ”You dear children,” he said, ”you dear, dear children--”
”I don't know about children--” began Anna-Felicitas; but was interrupted by a knock at the door.
”It's only the brandy,” said Mr. Twist, seeing her face a.s.sume the expression he had learned to a.s.sociate with the approach of Mrs. Bilton.
”Take it away, please Mrs. Bilton,” he called out, ”and put it on the--”
Mrs. Bilton however, didn't take anything away, but opened the door an inch instead. ”There's someone wants to speak to you, Mr. Twist,” she said in a loud whisper, thrusting in a card. ”He says he just must. I found him on the verandah when I took your brandy out, and as I'm not the woman to leave a stranger alone with good brandy I brought him in with me, and he's right here back of me in the tea-room.”
”It's John,” remarked Anna-Felicitas placidly. ”Come early.”
”I say--” said a voice behind Mrs. Bilton.
”Yes,” nodded Anna-Felicitas, getting up out of the deep chair. ”That's John.”
”I say--may I come in? I've got something important--”
Mr. Twist looked at Anna-Felicitas. ”Wouldn't you rather--?” he began.
”I don't mind John,” she said softly, her face flooded with a most beautiful light.