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Silence ensued, and outlasted the long drive. What afterwards passed between the young husband and wife did not, of course, transpire. There was no further expression of regret than the very equivocal and diluted apology comprehended in the Brides excuses; indeed, Lady Bligh and her daughter-in-law never spoke that night; nor did Alfred attempt to mediate between them. As a matter of fact, his wife had told him with a recklessness that cut him to the heart that, this time, she neither expected nor deserved, nor so much as desired, any ones forgiveness; that now she knew what she had feared before, that she was hopeless; that but the rest was wild talk.
Next morning, however, Alfred went to Lady Bligh with a letter, one that Gladys had received by the early post. It was an invitation from the Barringtons, the wording of which was sufficiently impulsive and ill-considered. Ada besought her darling Gladys to go stay with them in Suffolk immediately, on the following Saturday, and for as many days as she could and would; and the invitation included the darlings husband in a postscript.
An extraordinary kind of invitation! observed Lady Bligh, handing back the letter.
Ignorance, said Alfred laconically.
Did you meet the people out there?
Only this girls brother; the others had been in Europe some time. I thought him a very pleasant fellow, I remember, though his contempt for me and for all home birds was magnificent.
Well, said Lady Bligh, it is hardly the kind of invitation that Gladys can accept. Is it?
She refuses to think of it, Alfred answered, with a frown that rather puzzled Lady Bligh. But I hope she will change her mind. I wish her to go.
His mother was silent for more than a minute. Does the letter say Saturday? she then inquired.
Yes. Alfred gazed steadily in his mothers face as though he would search her inmost thoughts. Yes, it says Saturday. And it is on Saturday that the Lord Chief is coming down to stay over Sunday, is it not? I thought so. I very much wish I could induce her to go.
Not on that account, my boy, I hope? Lady Bligh seemed slightly embarrassed.
Partly, said Alfred, speaking firmly and distinctly, but not without an effort; partly on that account, but by no means altogether.
She could not go without you, remarked Lady Bligh; and they do not ask you civilly, to say the least of it.
She could go without me, returned Alfred emphatically. Whats more, I want her to. Its she that wont hear of it. These are quite old and intimate friends of Gladys and her father. She might easily spend a week with them alone, without me. Mother I think she would like it so, if only she would go! They are probably free-and-easy, roughish folks, and it would do her good, a week with them. There would be no restraints nay, she has observed none here, God knows! but there there might be none to observe. She could do and say what she liked. She would hurt no ones feelings. She would scandalise no one. And do you know what, mother? I have got it into my head that when she came back she would see the difference, and appreciate your ways here more than she ever might otherwise. I have got it into my head that one week of that kind, just now, would open her eyes for good and all. And I think there might be no more relapses! Yes, I thought that before; but I was wrong, you see after yesterday! Besides, this week would bring us within a few weeks of Scotland; and, after Scotland, we shall have our own little place to go to I have almost settled upon one. But if I went with her, restraint would go with her too.
His voice had broken more than once with emotion. He commanded it with difficulty, and it became hard and unnatural. In this tone he added:
Besides it would be more comfortable for every one if she were not here with the Lord Chief Justice.
Do not say that do not think that! said Lady Bligh; but faintly, because her heart echoed his sentiment.
Oh, theres no disguising it my wifes dynamite! said Alfred, with a short, harsh laugh. Only an explosion is worse at one time than at another. He went hastily from the room, neither of them having referred more directly to the scandalous scene in the Park.
He went straight to his wife, to try once more to coax her into accepting the Barringtons invitation. But it was of no use. She would not listen to him. She would go nowhere without her husband; she should write that to Ada plainly.
Later in the morning, Lady Bligh, of her own deliberate design, came in contact with her daughter-in-law. Gladys attempted escape. Lady Bligh caught her by the hand.
You are angry, Gladys!
Gladys said nothing.
I dont think you are the one to be angry, Lady Bligh said, nettled by the others sullen manner.
Gladys raised her eyes swiftly from the ground; they were filled with bitterness. Havent I a right to be what I like with myself? she cried. I am angry with no one else. But I shall never forgive myself no, nor I wont be forgiven either; I am hopeless! I feared it before; now I know it. Let me go, Lady Bligh!