She still stood a little way off from the group at the tea-table, staring with mournful enquiry at Gillian, who had broken down in a fit of wild sobbing. Then, lest she had not been understood, she repeated: “The doctor says I’m going to have a baby. And Mums cried. And father said——”
“You needn’t go home, my dear, my dear.... You’re coming to my home with me. It’s all right—nothing to be frightened of—I’m going to look after you ... yes, both of you——” It was Antonia who swept to Nell’s side by an irresistible impulse, had gathered her strongly in her arms, and faced round on the other two with a look that challenged while it scorched.
“You’re neither of you going to meddle any more where Nell is concerned—haven’t you done enough harm? with your talk and your example and rubbish?—No one’s business but your own what you do with your life, is it, Gillian?—is it? I knew somebody would have to suffer—ancient law—on those who break the laws—and you go scot free, and this poor kiddie.... Oh, damn your splendid freedom, and your new era, and your mix-up and mess-up of everything that’s clear and right—time-tested. Progress—is this your statue of progress?” She pointed to Nell Redbury, now crumpled forlornly against the older girl’s tense erect body....
“No use ranting at me, Antonia; I’m terribly responsible in this case,” Gillian acknowledged. “And of course it’s my business, not yours, to take Nell home and look after her——”
“With Theo about the place?”
Gillian was silent. And Deb interposed: “She’s better with Antonia, Jill. I can’t give her shelter, worse luck——” Samson, she knew, would show no mercy in this crisis.
Gillian said softly, “If Theo can help....” She found it difficult to put into words her conviction that Nell was only eighteen, and it might be warmth to her frozen emotions to have it conveyed—even by Theo Pandos—that men were still in the world and still desiring her ... a wintry gleam of promise for the future.
But it was heartless to translate her meaning in front of Nell, whose chubby serious young lover was only just dead.... And Antonia’s wrath swept out again like a banner in the wind:
“Theo—help? isn’t he as promiscuous as the rest of you—as Deb, as Cliffe ... with your love-making all over the place ... sex discussed just for the fun of it.... Deb prattling about the waste of her young limbs—we haven’t forgotten that talk, Nell and I.... Nell hasn’t forgotten it to some purpose.... Let’s all live our own lives—let’s all live somebody else’s.... Well, it’s been a merry puddle-party while it lasted! Come on, Nell,” her voice sank to inexpressible tenderness. Without a backward glance, she supported the quivering, clinging form of the younger girl across the lawn and through the garden gate. “Taxi!” they heard her clear call. And the responding grate of wheels against the kerb.