Two days later Bridgie Victor returned home. The need for chaperonage was over, and it was abundantly evident that Pixie was in no need of consolation. The first shock of disillusionment over, it was pre-eminently relief that she felt—relief from a bond which had weighed more and more heavily as time passed by. If Stanor had come home, looking his old self, caring for her, depending on her as he had done during the days of their brief engagement, she would have been ready and willing to give him her life, but it had been a strange man who had entered the sitting-room of the little flat, a man with a strange face, and a strange voice, and a heart that belonged to another girl. Pixie was free; the bonds which had bound her were loosed, and with each hour that passed her liberty became more sweet. She shared in her sister’s relief that the understanding with Stanor had been known to no one outside the family, for no human girl enjoys being pitied for such an experience, and Pixie had her own full share of conceit. It was comforting to know that there would be no talk, no fuss; that she could go her way, free from the consciousness of watching eyes.
On the morning of Bridgie’s departure two letters arrived by the first post, and were read in silence by their respective owners. Bridgie’s was in a man’s handwriting, and the perusal of its lines brought a flush to her cheeks and the glimmer of tears to her eyes. She put it in her pocket when she had finished reading, and remained densely oblivious of her sister’s hints.
“What does he say?”
“Who?”
“Mr Glynn, of course. Don’t pretend! I know his writing.”
“He’s very ... very—I don’t know exactly what he is, Pixie. He is as we all were at first—upset!”
“What does he say?”
“Oh, er—er—the usual things. Sorry. Ashamed. It’s so difficult for him, because, of course, in a certain sense it is his doing. ... Naturally, he feels—”
“What does he say?”
“Pixie, don’t go on repeating that! It’s stupid. I’ve told you! And there’s a message for you. He thanks you for your message, (I didn’t know you had sent one!) and says it was ‘like you.’ What did you say?”