Laura had wanted Justin to come with her to see the last of Coral. She knew that Coral would expect it: she was of the class that could be genuinely moved in public. But she knew also that Justin would shiver at the idea of Coral’s farewells. She wished he did not have to be considered: she wished he could laugh and say—“Oh, well, we must go through with it, I suppose,” and provide himself with chocolates and roses, and endure a farewell from his sister-in-law that might or might not culminate in an embrace. She wished he would be vulgar and human and uncritical for once. She wished——
Of course he would come if she asked him.... It would be a nuisance, naturally, with the dinner-party in the evening, but they could go up by one train and come back by the next, or start earlier and have their lunch in town.... If she suggested lunch he would surely come.... A man hates to be hurried, but with due time allowed for the importances of life he would come?... He ought to come. After Coral’s message he ought to come.... She would go up again to the Priory that very afternoon to ask him....
She did. She went up to the Priory on Thursday, and again on Friday for that express purpose, but she found when she tried that she was not able to ask him. She could not get out the words. She was afraid of his acquiescence, of his bored, impatient acquiescence that was worse than a refusal. She was afraid—it gave her a shock to realize that she was actually afraid of Justin.
She took the discovery up to town with her that Saturday, setting it to the monody of the train.
“Afraid of Justin? Afraid of Justin?”
“Absurd! Absurd! Afraid of Justin?”
Coral, explicitly, and almost before they were in speaking distance, explanatively out of mourning, did not soothe her. Coral must needs interrupt embraces, and introductions to the company, and asides to porters, and high-pitched laughter, and a rattle of news, to say—
“You’re no relation! Where’s my dear brother-in-law?”
“He was awfully sorry. He was kept at the last moment—quite unexpectedly. He sent all sorts of messages,” said Laura successfully. Then, because she was an amateur, she added the touch too much: “He was sure you’d understand.”
Coral was appreciative.