Part 3 (2/2)

He was laughing at her a little, with the indulgent, delighted laughter of a man very deeply in love. She was explaining something to him, simply and gravely, without undue emphasis. Stella guessed that it was one of the things Marian wanted, and she did not think that Julian could get out of giving it to her by laughter.

”Marian's life hasn't got divisions in it like mine,” she explained.

”She's just a beautiful human creature. She is equable and strong and delightful and absolutely honest. She's as honest as crystal; but she hasn't had to bother about choosing.”

”Ah,” said Lady Verny, ”you think that, do you? But, my dear Miss Waring, sooner or later we all have to bother about choosing. Beauty and strength don't save us. Absolute honesty often lets us in, and sometimes, when the scales weigh against us, we cease to be equable.”

”But they won't, you see,” Stella said eagerly. ”They can't weigh against her now, Lady Verny. Don't you see? There's your son--it's why one's so delighted. An engagement to him is like some thumping insurance which somehow or other prevents one's house being burned.”

Lady Verny laughed.

”Let us hope your theory is a correct one,” she said, rising from her seat. ”I am going to talk to her now, and you can talk to the insurance company.”

Stella gasped. She wanted to run away, to catch Lady Verny's graceful scarf and tell her she couldn't really talk to anybody's son. Agreeable, ma.s.sive beings who explored continents and lived in clubs oughtn't to come her way. But Julian crossed the room to her side with the quickness of a military order. His manners hid his reluctance. He was at her service in a moment. His keen eyes, harder than his mother's and more metallic, met hers once and glanced easily away. They said nothing to Stella except that he was a watchful human being who couldn't be taken in, and was sometimes perhaps unduly aware that he couldn't be taken in.

”I'm very glad indeed,” he said cordially, ”to meet Marian's greatest friend. You must tell me all about her. You see, I'm a new-comer; I've known her only six weeks, and I've been so busy trying to impress her with my point of view that I quite feel I may have overlooked some of hers. Women always understand women, don't they?”

He wasn't going to be difficult to talk to. That unnecessary ingredient in his composition saved Stella. As long as she had a brain to call to, and wasn't only to be awed by splendor of appearance and forms as difficult for her to cross as five-barred gates, she needn't be afraid of him. It never was people that Stella was afraid of, but the things, generally the silly things, that separated her from them.

”We do and we don't understand each other,” she said swiftly. ”I don't think women can tell what another woman will do; but granted she's done it, I dare say most could say why.”

Julian laughed.

”Then have the kindness to inform me,” he said, ”why Marian has consented to marry me. Incidentally, your reply will no doubt throw a light for me upon her mental processes.”

Stella saw he did not want any light thrown anywhere; he was simply giving his mother time to get to know Marian. Then he was going back to her; that was his light.

She gave a vague little smile at the sublimated concentration of lovers.

She liked to watch them; she would never have to be one.

It was like seeing some beautiful wild creature of the woods. It wouldn't be like you at all, and yet it would be exceedingly amusing and touching to watch, and sometimes it would make you think of what it would feel like to be wild and in those woods.

She reminded herself sharply, as her eyes turned back to Julian, that it wouldn't do to let him think she thought him wild. He was behaving very well, and the least she could do was to let him think so. She gave herself up to his question.

”You're very strong,” she said consideringly. ”Marian likes strength.

She's strong herself, you know; probably that's one of her reasons.”

”Good,” he said cheerfully. ”Physically strong, d' you mean, or an iron will? Iron wills are quite in my line, I a.s.sure you. Any other reason?”

”Strong both ways,” said Stella; ”and you're secure. I mean, what you've taken you'll keep. I think some women like a man they can be sure of.”

”Let us hope they all do,” said Sir Julian, laughing. ”It would imply a very bad business instinct if they didn't.”

”I do not think I agree with you,” said Stella, firmly. ”The best business is often an adventure, a risk. Safe business does not go far; it goes only as far as safety.”

”Well, I'm not sure that I want women to go particularly far,” said Sir Julian. ”I like 'em to be safe; let 'em leave the better business with the risk in it to men. I shall be content if Marian does that.”

”I think Marian will,” said Stella. ”But there are other things, of course, besides you and Marian: there's life. You can only take all the risk there is if you take all the life. I see what you would like, Sir Julian: you want a figurehead guaranteed against collisions.

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