‘Yes; very much surprised; I didn’t expect it at all!’
I looked at George, but his face was turned away; he was staring at the fire, bending forwards, away from me.
I said:
‘Won’t you congratulate me, either of you?’ and my voice sounded odd, and jerky, even to myself, ‘Won’t you give me your good wishes?’
‘Yes . . . oh surely, all good wishes . . .’ Mollie said, ‘but . . .’ She hesitated and I saw her look at George. . . .
‘If you are going back now, I will go with you,’ George said abruptly.
He knew, of course, that I had not meant to go back then, for I had only just come. Mollie looked at him again, surprised, I thought, and anxious.
I nearly said: ‘I am not going back!’
But I wanted to get away, and somehow, too, I had to do what George wanted.
I said: