"But I'm interrupting," said Mrs. Hilary. "I know you two are having a private talk. I'll leave you alone...."
"No, no, mother." That was Neville, of course. "Stay and defend me from Jim's scorn."
How artificial one had to be in family life! What an absurd thing these emotions made of it!
Mrs. Hilary looked happier, and more settled in her chair.
"Where are Kay and Gerda?" Jim asked.
Neville told him "In Guildford, helping Barry Briscoe with W.E.A. meetings. They're spending a lot of time over that just now; they're both as keen as mustard. Nearly as keen as he is. He sets people on fire. It's very good for the children. They're bringing him up here to spend Sunday. I think he hopes every time to find Nan back again from Cornwall, poor Barry. He was very down in the mouth when she suddenly took herself off."
"If Nan doesn't mean to have him, she shouldn't have encouraged him," said Mrs. Hilary. "He was quite obviously in love with her."
"Nan's always a dark horse," Neville said. "She alone knows what she means."
Jim said "She's a flibberty-gibbet. She'd much better get married. She's not much use in the world at present. Now if she was a doctor ... or doing something useful, like Pamela...."
"Don't be prejudiced, Jimmy. Because you don't read modern novels yourself you think it's no use their being written."