Free Men and Wives by Ivy Compton-Burnett Page B

other course. And another point seems to be that he may marry again. And no breath of scandal has ever touched him, Sir Percy.”
    â€œI appreciate his taking thought for the successor,” said Rachel.
    â€œBut would a woman like that sort of thing to be done about another woman?” said Sir Percy.
    â€œSir Percy, I am afraid you have very little idea of the attitude of the ladies to one another,” said Dominic, with heaving shoulders.
    â€œHe only knows that of one lady to another,” said Rachel, “and it has misled him.”
    â€œWell, but now, about Dufferin?” resumed Sir Percy. “A nice fellow, an able fellow, a man of family. What is he about, getting into muddles fitter for other people than for him? What does he get from making parsons afraid of slurs and all of it?”
    â€œWe are not able to limit our dealing to a world constituted just as we should like it, Sir Percy. We lawyers have to find that out.”
    â€œWell, well, but Bellamy’s wife?” said Sir Percy. “Why shouldn’t some other woman do for him?”
    â€œWell, perhaps he thinks himself the judge of that,” said Dominic, again with doubtful laughter. “Or, conceivably the lady constituted herself the judge. I shall be seeing Dufferin to-night, but possibly I could hardly venture to put that question to him!”
    â€œTo-night? Oh, to-night? You are to be with him to-night, Spong, about some of it? Well, now, wouldn’t any other night have done for him?”
    â€œSir Percy,” said Dominic, a flush creeping over his face, “the truth is, I could not bear the prospect of my own empty fireside. His being my neighbour in the town enables me to direct my steps homewards, without immediately taking the plunge that looms ahead of me.” He ended with a considerate smile.
    â€œNor the prospect of our fireside either,” said Rachel. “Of course the horror of the thought leaks out, Percy and me sitting opposite each other, with the shadows gathering and no memories in common, since old people live in their youth.”
    â€œYou would be justified on your side, Lady Hardisty, inallowing a horror to leak out of any more of my company. I am conscious of showing the effort with which I respond to the kindness I would not be without. And such inconsistency demands banishment.”
    He rose smiling, and held out his hand, seeming to summon self-control to achieve a conventional bearing.
    â€œHere is Polly, come in time to say good-bye,” said Rachel. “Polly, you did not know that Dominic was here, did you?”
    â€œI think, Lady Hardisty,” said Dominic with a conscious smile, “that Miss Polly would be taken aback by the idea of such an elderly person as I must appear to her, being possessed of a Christian name, much more being called by it.”
    â€œPolly does not expect older people not to have names, or not to be called by them,” said Rachel. “She knows they do not give up everything. And I thought you and Polly were the same age. That is the stage I have got to.”
    Dominic took his leave of Polly with a smile that did not comment on this, in deference to her point of view.
    Sir Percy returned from attending him to the door.
    â€œWell, now the poor fellow, Rachel! Does he have to be chasing about after everybody to-day?”
    â€œI suppose he does; the urge of our natures is strong.”
    â€œBecause I should have thought any kind of fireside was better than none.”
    â€œAll kinds may be better still,” said his wife.
    Dominic was approaching the fourth fireside afforded him since his wife’s burial.
    â€œWell, Dufferin,” he said, sinking down into a chair, “I have found my old friends very warm-hearted to a man in his first desolation. I have been deeply touched. I have had it brought home to me what kind hearts there are in the world.”
    â€œThat is sometimes brought home. What