Forty minutes later they were walking towards Buckingham Gate. Eric did not know what he was expected to say or do, but O’Rane assured him that everything would be quite easy, and he was too tired to assert himself. He hoped faintly that Gaymer would be sober and that they would have no duel of words as on the occasion of his two other visits to the flat. Perhaps O’Rane would keep the peace....
Gaymer opened the door himself, nodded perfunctorily to Eric and led the way to his smoking-room. He could not wholly conceal his surprise at their coming; and he busied himself unduly with chairs, cigars and offers of drink until one of his visitors should think fit to explain the purpose of the meeting. Each waited for his neighbour to speak first; the last tumbler and cigar were distributed, and there was no pretext for further delay. When the silence became unbearable, O’Rane turned enquiringly to Eric.
“You were going to make a proposal?,” he began.
“No. I came here, because you asked me to. I don’t in the least know what you want me to say.”
“I wanted you to explain; Gaymer’s in the dark still. Shall I give him an outline?... Gaymer, you both of you love Miss Maitland, but you can’t both of you marry her. I don’t think we need consider rights or claims, because—quite obviously—neither of you would marry her against her will—”
“I have every intention of marrying her,” Gaymer interrupted quietly.
“Not against her will. Lane or I have only to say a word to her, and she’d marry him. I’m not bluffing, Gaymer; that’s quite certain. Lane doesn’t want to force her hand, he wants her to marry the man who’ll make her happiest. Don’t you want the same? This is the judgement of Solomon, you know. Do you put yourself before her? If you do, you don’t care for her, you don’t deserve her; and, Gaymer, you won’t get her.”
Gaymer kicked his heels on to the edge of a chair and slid lower into his corner of the sofa:
“If she tries to marry Lane or any one else, I can have her back—in the heel of my fist—within a week.”
“I can’t agree,” said O’Rane. “There are certain new factors of which you know nothing. But, if it were all true, would you try to marry her against her will?”