‘Every night of my life—for a little while.’
Elsie felt her unreasonable mood coming back. ‘Then why don’t you marry her?’ she asked with a ring of bitterness in her voice.
Again that callous-hearted young man laughed. ‘Considering that she is married already, and the happy mother of two children, I can hardly see the feasibility of your suggestion.’
‘Then why does she call herself “Miss Wylie?”’
‘It’s a way they have in the profession. She goes by her maiden name. In reality, she is Mrs Berrington. Her husband travels with her. He plays “heavy fathers.”’
Miss Brandon looked mystified. Her lover saw it.
‘You see this suit of clothes,’ he said, ‘and this wig and these spectacles. They are part of the “make-up” of a certain character I played last week. I was the Count von Rosenthal, in love with the beautiful daughter of a poor music-master. In order to be able to make love to her, and win her for myself, and not for my title and riches, I go in the guise of a student, and take lodgings in the same house where she and her father are living. After many mishaps, all ends as it ought to do. Charlotte and I fall into each other’s arms, and her father blesses us both with tears in his eyes. Miss Wylie played the Professor’s daughter, and her husband played the father’s part, and very well he did it too.’
‘Her husband allowed you to make love to his wife?’ said Miss Brandon, with wide-open eyes.
‘Of course he did; and he was not so foolish as to be jealous, like some people. Why should he be?’
Elsie was fully convinced by this time that she had made a goose of herself. ‘You may kiss me, Charley,’ she said with much sweetness. ‘Dear boy, I forgive you.’