Part 50 (1/2)
”He is Papa Claude's partner and producer,” said Eleanor with dignity.
”If I don't care anything for him, I don't see what harm there is in seeing him.”
”Not liking whisky won't keep it from going to your head,” said Quin stubbornly.
”That's perfect nonsense; and besides, what can I do? It's his play as well as ours. I can't ask him to stay away from rehearsals.”
”No; but you can stay away yourself. You don't have to be in this play.
Something else will turn up. You can afford to wait.”
”But that's just the point--I can't! And, besides, think how silly and childish it would be for me to refuse a wonderful chance for a professional debut that might not come again in years.”
”But don't you see, Miss Nell, you are in honor bound not to go on with this?”
”Honor bound? How do you mean?”
”Why, to Queen Vic.”
”I agreed to break my engagement with Harold Phipps and not to answer any of his letters. I've kept my promise.”
”Yes; but I thought, and I made her think, that you agreed not to see him or have anything to do with him for six months.”
”Well, the time will be up in six weeks.”
”Lots can happen in six weeks.”
If Quin had been wise he would have taken another tack; but, in his earnest effort to make her see her duty to Madam, he failed to press his own more personal claims, and thus lost his one chance of reaching her.
Eleanor understood impulse, emotion, but she would not listen to reason.
The mere mention of Madam's name stirred up a whirlwind that snuffed out any love-lights that might have been kindling. She stood with her back to the table, twisting Harold Phipps's card in her fingers, and she looked at Quin suspiciously.
”Did grandmother send you up here to see if I was keeping my word?”
”She did not. She doesn't know I am here.”
”Then it's just _you_ who don't trust me?”
”Well, I don't think you are playing quite fair,” admitted Quin bluntly, ”either to Queen Vic or to me.”
”And I suppose you propose to go back and tell her so?”
”I propose nothing of the kind. It's up to you whether we both keep our word, or whether we both break it. You know what I think, and you see the position I am in.”
”I can settle that,” said Eleanor with spirit. ”I can write home to-night and tell them what I intend to do. That will exonerate you, if that is what you are after.”
”It _isn't_ what I am after, and you know it! For G.o.d's sake, Miss Nell, be fair! You know you can't go on with this thing without starting up the old trouble with Mr. Phipps.”
”But, I tell you, I _can_. I can control the situation perfectly. Why can't you trust me, Quin?”