“I can’t explain.”
Her eyes searched his. “Does it,” she asked, “have anything to do with my happiness?”
“I think,” Mason told her, “since you’ve gone so far, I’d prefer to have you talk with your mother.”
“Look here, Mr. Mason,” she said, “I’m not a child. I know something’s in the wind. I have an idea it affects me. Now, Dad won some money in a lottery. If that was an illegal thing to do, then he has to give back the money. But I’d prefer — very much prefer — not to have anything said or done until after the ship docks. I think you know why.”
“I do,” Mason told her, “and I want you to understand that your mother has your best interests at heart.”
Her eyes swam with tears. “I wish,” she said, “things had been different. I wouldn’t have missed knowing Roy for anything. But you know what it means, Mr. Mason. He’s out of my class. I’ve had my little masquerade and that masquerade is about over. I’ve realized all along the price I was going to have to pay, but I know it has to be paid. Now then, I’m afraid that Carl, or Moms, or both, are planning to carry on, thinking they can give me a chance. They can’t. I’m not in Roy’s world and he’s not in mine. We could pretend while we’re on shipboard, or while we were in Honolulu, but as soon as we hit the Mainland it’s different... Tell me, Mr. Mason, is Moms planning to sue Carl for divorce?”
“That isn’t what we’ve been talking about,” Mason said kindly.
Belle Newberry scraped back her chair. The roll of the boat threw her off balance. Mason jumped to her side, steadied her with his hand on her elbow.
“Please,” she said, “don’t let Mom make any useless sacrifices for me. She doesn’t see the thing as clearly as I do. Tomorrow morning after we land, it will be over.”
“Don’t you think Roy will try to keep in touch with you?” Mason asked.