Part 16 (1/2)
Rantzau is, I believe, an excellent woman.”
”Mrs. Rantzau! What on earth are you talking about?”
”Why, isn't it her you mean? Both Marie and I have noticed you've been visiting her pretty often of late.”
”Me--to marry a woman that age!”
”But she must be much younger than you!”
”Oh--that's different. Men can marry at any age and keep on marrying.”
”But who is the favoured one, then?”
”The favoured one, as you are pleased to call her, is Miss Betty----”
”Betty! _You_ marry Betty Rantzau?”
”Yes; don't you think it's a good idea? Suit us all round.”
”Oh, it's ridiculous, impossible!”
”And why, may I ask?”
”Well, to begin with, Betty won't have you, and, besides----”
”Well...?”
”Betty belongs to me!”
Holm jumped up from the sofa, and stood facing William, who sat quietly and calmly as ever.
”William--I should never have expected this of you. H'm, I've borne with a good deal, one way and another, and had a lot of low-down tricks played on me in my time, but this....”
”Betty's the only woman I've ever cared for, father; from the first time I set eyes on her I've....”
”A pa.s.sing fancy, nothing more. A few weeks' holiday in Paris, and you'll have forgotten all about it.”
”There you're mistaken. I'm serious for once.”
”And I'm serious too. And this time I'm not going to give in.”
Holm turned sharply on his heel and went down to the office. He had expected to find Betty there, but she was out. On the desk lay a note, in her writing, asking to be excused for leaving the office; she was not feeling well, and had gone home.
He strode up and down in great agitation. Knut Holm was thoroughly angry now.
His own son as a rival! Was there ever such a ridiculous state of things? If Vindt got any inkling of the situation, there would be no end to the gossip he would make of it--it would be impossible to remain in the place.
Give way at once, and submit? No, that was not Knut Holm's way. And indeed, the very thought made him feel miserable at heart, for he had grown really fond of Betty.
Well, let her choose for herself, that was the best way. She and her mother could work it out together, and see which looked most like business.
He went down to the waterside to hunt up Bramsen; in times of real difficulty, when he felt uncertain how to act, it was always helpful to spend an hour listening to Bramsen's honest and genial talk.