“Why never?”
“Because I can’t bring myself to—not in his way. He told me this morning——. It doesn’t matter what he told me. It hurt me to hear him speak like that, so strongly and quietly and sadly. Lorie and I, we’ve drifted—let life slip by. We’ve wakened; we’re tired.” Then, like a child, appealing against injustice. “He said I hadn’t a heart—that I was made of stone, not like other women. It’s not true that I’m different—is it, Peter?” And again, “Is it, Peter?” And then, “It hurt to be blamed for not giving—giving what would be his to take, if he were the right man.”
“The right man! That’s what Cherry says. How does a woman know who is the right man?”
She avoided a direct answer. “The right man is always born too late or too early; or else he’s wasting himself on someone who doesn’t want him.”
It was a city of the dead that they were entering. Rain swept the streets in sudden and vindictive volleys. Lamps shone weakly; some were extinguished. Few people were about. At Ealing they halted for their last change.
“Won’t be goin’ any further?” the guard suggested.
When he was informed to the contrary, he glanced up at the drenched faces. He seemed to see a thing that startled him. “Blime!” While he hurried the ostlers with the harnessing, he tried not to look at those white patches in the dusk; his eyes returned to them, unwillingly fascinated. When he had released the leaders’ heads, he stepped back and swung himself up behind as the coach lunged into the storm.
There was barely time to reach Paddington. Peter calculated. If he missed the train, the consequences would be grave. He asked the golden woman to hurry. She listened, but made no attempt to quicken their pace. She didn’t seem at all disturbed by his dilemma. He almost suspected her of holding in the horses. Too late to leave her now! As they trotted through the premature night, he began to ask himself questions. Why had she been so determined to finish the journey? Why had she shown such eagerness to be alone with him?
He leant forward. “Where’s Lorie?”
“In London.”