Part 2 (2/2)
And he added what was to her a very astonis.h.i.+ng phrase.
”I'm afraid you've made a bad bargain, Frances.”
She went right past an implication she did not understand to attack hard facts. hard facts.
”What is it,” she said, ”money?”
She did not know why she put money first. There had been no special signs of financial stringency other than were natural to the times. They signs of financial stringency other than were natural to the times. They were short-staffed at the office with more business than they could were short-staffed at the office with more business than they could cope with, but that was the same everywhere and in the last month cope with, but that was the same everywhere and in the last month they had got back some of their people released from the Army. It they had got back some of their people released from the Army. It might just as easily have been illness that he was concealing - his might just as easily have been illness that he was concealing - his colour had been bad lately, and he had been overworked and colour had been bad lately, and he had been overworked and overtired. But nevertheless Frances's instinct went towards money, overtired. But nevertheless Frances's instinct went towards money, and it seemed she was right. and it seemed she was right.
Her husband nodded.
”I see.”
She was silent a moment, thinking. She herself did not really care about money at all - but she knew that Jeremy was quite incapable of about money at all - but she knew that Jeremy was quite incapable of realising that. Money meant to him a four-square world - stability - realising that. Money meant to him a four-square world - stability - obligations - a definite place and status in life. obligations - a definite place and status in life.
Money to her was a toy tossed into one's lap to play with. She had been born and bred in an atmosphere of financial instability. There had been born and bred in an atmosphere of financial instability. There had been wonderful times when the horses had done what was expected of wonderful times when the horses had done what was expected of them. There had been difficult times when the tradesmen wouldn't give them. There had been difficult times when the tradesmen wouldn't give credit and Lord Edward had been forced to ignominious straits to credit and Lord Edward had been forced to ignominious straits to avoid the bailiffs on the front-door step. Once they had lived on dry avoid the bailiffs on the front-door step. Once they had lived on dry bread for a week and sent all the servants away. They had had the bread for a week and sent all the servants away. They had had the bailiffs in the house for three weeks once when Frances was a child. bailiffs in the house for three weeks once when Frances was a child. She had found the b.u.m in question very agreeable to play with and full She had found the b.u.m in question very agreeable to play with and full of stories of his own little girl. of stories of his own little girl.
If one had no money one simply scrounged, or went abroad, or lived on one's friends and relations for a bit. Or somebody tided you over with a one's friends and relations for a bit. Or somebody tided you over with a loan... loan...
But looking across at her husband Frances realised that in the Cloade world you didn't do that kind of thing. You didn't beg or borrow or live world you didn't do that kind of thing. You didn't beg or borrow or live on other people. (And conversely you didn't expect them to beg or on other people. (And conversely you didn't expect them to beg or borrow or live off you!) borrow or live off you!) Frances felt terribly sorry for Jeremy and a little guilty about being so unperturbed herself. She took refuge in practicality. unperturbed herself. She took refuge in practicality.
”Shall we have to sell up everything? Is the firm going smash?”
Jeremy Cloade winced, and she realised she had been too matter-of- fact. fact.
”My dear,” she said gently, ”do tell me. I can't go on guessing.”
Cloade said stiffly, ”We went through rather a bad crisis two years ago. Young Williams, you remember, absconded. We had some ago. Young Williams, you remember, absconded. We had some difficulty getting straight again. Then there were certain complications difficulty getting straight again. Then there were certain complications arising out of the position in the Far East after Singapore -” arising out of the position in the Far East after Singapore -”
She interrupted him.
”Never mind the whys - they are so unimportant. You were in a jam. And you haven't been able to snap out of it?” And you haven't been able to snap out of it?”
He said, ”I relied on Gordon. Gordon would have put things straight.”
She gave a quick impatient sigh.
”Of course. I don't want to blame the poor man - after all, it's only human nature to lose your head about a pretty woman. And why on human nature to lose your head about a pretty woman. And why on earth shouldn't he marry again if he wanted to? But it was unfortunate earth shouldn't he marry again if he wanted to? But it was unfortunate his being killed in that air raid before he'd settled anything or made a his being killed in that air raid before he'd settled anything or made a proper will or adjusted his affairs. The truth is that one never believes proper will or adjusted his affairs. The truth is that one never believes for a minute, no matter what danger you're in, that you yourself are for a minute, no matter what danger you're in, that you yourself are going to be killed. The bomb is always going to hit the other person!” going to be killed. The bomb is always going to hit the other person!”
”Apart from his loss, and I was very fond of Gordon - and proud of him too,” said Gordon Cloade's elder brother, ”his death was a too,” said Gordon Cloade's elder brother, ”his death was a catastrophe for me. It came at a moment -” catastrophe for me. It came at a moment -”
He stopped.
”Shall we be bankrupt?” Frances asked with intelligent interest.
Jeremy Cloade looked at her almost despairingly. Though she did not realise it, he could have coped much better with tears and alarm. This realise it, he could have coped much better with tears and alarm. This cool detached practical interest defeated him utterly. cool detached practical interest defeated him utterly.
He said harshly, ”It's a good deal worse than that...”
He watched her as she sat quite still, thinking over that. He said to himself, ”In another minute I shall have to tell her. She'll know what I himself, ”In another minute I shall have to tell her. She'll know what I am... She'll have to know. Perhaps she won't believe it at first.” am... She'll have to know. Perhaps she won't believe it at first.”
Frances Cloade sighed and sat up straight in her big armchair.
”I see,” she said. ”Embezzlement. Or if that isn't the right word, that kind of thing... Like young Williams.” kind of thing... Like young Williams.”
”Yes, but this time - you don't understand - I'm responsible. I've used trust funds that were committed to my charge. So far, I've covered my trust funds that were committed to my charge. So far, I've covered my tracks -” tracks -”
”But now it's all going to come out?”
”Unless I can get the necessary money - quickly.”
The shame he felt was the worst he had known in his life. How would she take it? she take it?
At the moment she was taking it very calmly. But then, he thought, Frances would never make a scene. Never reproach or upbraid. Frances would never make a scene. Never reproach or upbraid.
Her hand to her cheek, she was frowning.
”It's so stupid,” she said, ”that I haven't got any money of my own at all... ” all... ”
He said stiffly, ”There is your marriage settlement, but -”
She said absently, ”But I suppose that's gone too.”
He was silent. Then he said with difficulty, in his dry voice: ”I'm sorry, Frances. More sorry than I can say. You made a bad bargain.” Frances. More sorry than I can say. You made a bad bargain.”
She looked up sharply.
”You said that before. What do you mean by that?”
Jeremy said stiffly: ”When you were good enough to marry me, you had the right to expect -well, integrity - and a life free from sordid anxieties.”
She was looking at him with complete astonishment.
”Really, Jeremy! What on earth do you think I married you for?”
He smiled slightly.
”You have always been a most loyal and devoted wife, my dear. But I can hardly natter myself that you would have accepted me in - er - can hardly natter myself that you would have accepted me in - er - different circ.u.mstances.” different circ.u.mstances.”
She stared at him and suddenly burst out laughing.
”You funny old stick! What a wonderful novelettish mind you must have behind that legal facade! Do you really think that I married you as the behind that legal facade! Do you really think that I married you as the price of saving Father from the wolves - or the Stewards of the Jockey price of saving Father from the wolves - or the Stewards of the Jockey Club, et cetera?” Club, et cetera?”
”You were very fond of your father, Frances.”
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