“Well, she doesn’t know what I listen to, then,” said Barney.
Oldmeadow was again conscious of the deep uneasiness. “It’s quite true I’ve no call to meddle in your affairs,” he said. “The essential thing is that you love each other. Let rights and wrongs go hang.”
“You haven’t meddled, Roger.” Barney moved towards the door. “You’ve been in my affairs, and haven’t been allowed to keep out. Yes. We love each other. But rights and wrongs never go hang with Adrienne.”
CHAPTER XVIII
OLDMEADOW did not see Barney again for some months. He met Eleanor Chadwick towards the end of April, in the park, he on his way to Mrs. Aldesey’s, she, apparently, satisfying her country appetite for exercise, since she seemed to be walking fast and at random. He almost thought for a moment that she was going to pretend not to see him and hurry down a path that led away from his; but his resolute eye perhaps checked the impulse. She faltered and then came forward, holding out her hand and looking rather wildly about her, and she said that London was really suffocating, wasn’t it?
“You’ve been here for so long, haven’t you,” said Oldmeadow. “Or have you been here all this time? I’ve had no news of any of you, you see.”
“It’s all been such a troubled, busy time, Roger,” said Mrs. Chadwick. “Yes, I’ve been here ever since. But, thank goodness, the doctors say she may be moved now, and she and I and Barney are going down to Devonshire next week. To Torquay. Such a dismal place, I think; but perhaps that’s because so many of my relations have died there. I never have liked that red Devonshire soil. But the primroses will be out. That makes up a little.”
“I’m glad that Mrs. Barney is better. When will you all be back at Coldbrooks?”
“In June, I hope. Yes; she is better. But so feeble, still; so frail. And quite, quite changed from her old bright self. It’s all very depressing, Roger. Very depressing and wearing,” said Mrs. Chadwick, opening her eyes very wide and staring before her in a way characteristic of her when she repressed tears. “Sometimes I hardly know how to keep up at all. For nothing cheers her. And Barney isn’t really much help. He has very little power of fighting against depression.”
“You’ve all been too much shut up with each other, I’m afraid.”