By Peter's advice she did not answer this letter. But they both knew that Hugo was only waiting to make some other and more unpleasant demonstration than the last.
"You see," Jan began again, "I've got so many
people to think of. The children and Meg and the house and all the old servants.... You mustn't hustle me, dear."
"Yes, I see all that; but I've got you to think of, and if we're married and anything happens to me you'll get your pension, and I want you to have that."
"And if anything happened to me, you'd be saddled with the care of two little children who've got a thoroughly unsatisfactory father, who can always make life hateful for them and for you. No, Peter, it wouldn't be fair—we must wait and see how things work out."
"At present," Peter said gloomily, "it looks as if things were working out to a fair bust-up all round."
This was on the 30th of July.
Peter went up to London, intending to return on the first to stay over the Bank Holiday, but he did not come. He wanted to be within easy reach of recalling cablegram.
Meg got a wire from Miles on Saturday: "Try to come up for to-morrow and Monday I can't leave town must see you."
And half an hour after it, came a note from Squire Walcote, asking her to accept his escort, as he and Lady Mary were going up to the Grosvenor, and hoped Meg would be their guest.