"Then what in the world is wrong?"
Alexandra's words came tumbling out as though she feared her courage would evaporate before she could speak them.
"You said the stage was a hard place for girls. It is. It's all so wrong everywhere that the idea of a man proposing marriage is—is a surprise.... Oh, won't you understand?" She clasped her hands tensely. "You need not marry me—unless you want to, because I—didn't expect it."
She buried her head for very shame. Her last words were barely audible. She longed to look at him to learn what was in his face, but did not dare.
Meer did not leave her long in doubt.
"My dear," he said, moved to the very heart of him. "That is between you and me—and God."
XLI
After leaving Alexandra that morning Maggy had driven to Woolf's club. They had arranged to lunch together at some restaurant, but instead he bore her off to her flat, scarcely vouchsafing a word to her on the way. That he was in a towering rage she could see plainly enough. The reason for it she could not guess. He was apt to lose his temper. At such times she would tactfully wait until he had calmed down. Now, however, she was hungry and wanted her lunch, so she naturally asked for it.
"Where did you think of going for lunch?"
To her surprise he burst out violently: "Lunch be damned! You'll have lunch by yourself in future."