"Val!"
"Bernard agrees with me that the double work would be too heavy. Of course I should like the money and I'm awfully sorry to disoblige Lord Grantchester and Jack, but one has one's limitations, and I don't want to knock up."
"It is too bad—too bad of Bernard,". said Laura, lowering her voice as Lawrence lingered near the window. "He doesn't half deserve your goodness to him."
"Bosh!" said Val laughing. "Where do these candlesticks go? In my heart of hearts I'm grateful to him. I'm a cowardly beggar, Laura, and I was dreading the big financial responsibility. Oh no, Bernard didn't put any pressure on me: simply offered me the choice between Etchingham and Wanhope."
"They would pay you twice what you get from Bernard. Oh, Val, I wish you would take it and throw us over!"
"That's very unkind of you."
"Is this definite?"
"Quite: Bernard had thought it well over and made up his mind. I shouldn't speak to him about it if I were you."
"I shan't. I couldn't bear to."
"Bosh again—excuse me. I must go home. Good-night, dear." He held out his hand, wishing, in the repressed way that had become a second nature to him, that Laura would not wring it so warmly and so long. In the first bitterness of disappointment—so much the keener for his unlucky confidence to Rowsley—Val could not stand sympathy. Not even from Laura? Least of all from Laura. He nodded to her with a bright careless smile and went out into the night.