Directly she could disentangle herself from breakfast Mrs. Pope, with all her plans acute, went up to the girls' room. She found her daughter dressing in a leisurely and meditative manner. She shut the door almost confidentially. "Marjorie," she said, "I want you to tell me all about this."
"I thought I heard father telling you," said Marjorie.
"He was too indignant," said Mrs. Pope, "to explain clearly. You see, Marjorie"—she paused before her effort—"he knows things—about this Professor Trafford."
"What things?" asked Marjorie, turning sharply.
"I don't know, my dear—and I can't imagine."
She looked out of the window, aware of Marjorie's entirely distrustful scrutiny.
"I don't believe it," said Marjorie.
"Don't believe what, dear?"
"Whatever he says."
"I wish I didn't," said Mrs. Pope, and turned. "Oh, Madge," she cried, "you cannot imagine how all this distresses me! I cannot—I cannot conceive how you came to be in such a position! Surely honour——! Think of Mr. Magnet, how good and patient he has been! You don't know that man. You don't know all he is, and all that it means to a girl. He is good and honourable and—pure. He is kindness itself. It seemed to me that you were to be so happy—rich, honoured."
She was overcome by a rush of emotion; she turned to the bed and sat down.
"There!" she said desolately. "It's all ruined, shattered, gone."
Marjorie tried not to feel that her mother was right.
"If father hadn't interfered," she said weakly.
"Oh, don't, my dear, speak so coldly of your father! You don't know what he has to put up with. You don't know his troubles and anxieties—all this wretched business." She paused, and her face became portentous. "Marjorie, do you know if these railways go on as they are going he may have to eat into his capital this year. Just think of that, and the worry he has! And this last shame and anxiety!"
Her voice broke again. Marjorie listened with an expression that was almost sullen.
"But what is it," she asked, "that father knows about Mr. Trafford?"
"I don't know, dear. I don't know. But it's something that matters—that makes it all different."
"Well, may I speak to Mr. Trafford before he leaves Buryhamstreet?"
"My dear! Never see him, dear—never think of him again! Your father would not dream——Some day, Marjorie, you will rejoice—you will want to thank your father on your bended knees that he saved you from the clutches of this man...."
"I won't believe anything about Mr. Trafford," she said slowly, "until I know——"
She left the sentence incomplete.
She made her declaration abruptly. "I love Mr. Trafford," she said, with a catch in her voice, "and I don't love Mr. Magnet."
Mrs. Pope received this like one who is suddenly stabbed. She sat still as if overwhelmed, one hand pressed to her side and her eyes closed. Then she said, as if she gasped involuntarily—
"It's too dreadful! Marjorie," she said, "I want to ask you to do something. After all, a mother has some claim. Will you wait just a little. Will you promise me to do nothing—nothing, I mean, to commit you—until your father has been able to make inquiries. Don't see him for a little while. Very soon you'll be one-and-twenty, and then perhaps things may be different. If he cares for you, and you for him, a little separation won't matter.... Until your father has inquired...."
"Mother," said Marjorie, "I can't——"
Mrs. Pope drew in the air sharply between her teeth, as if in agony.
"But, mother——Mother, I must let Mr. Trafford know that I'm not to see him. I can't suddenly cease.... If I could see him once——"
"Don't!" said Mrs. Pope, in a hollow voice.
Marjorie began weeping. "He'd not understand," she said. "If I might just speak to him!"
"Not alone, Marjorie."
Marjorie stood still. "Well—before you."
Mrs. Pope conceded the point. "And then, Marjorie——" she said.
"I'd keep my word, mother," said Marjorie, and began to sob in a manner she felt to be absurdly childish—"until—until I am one-and-twenty. I'd promise that."
Mrs. Pope did a brief calculation. "Marjorie," she said, "it's only your happiness I think of."
"I know," said Marjorie, and added in a low voice, "and father."
"My dear, you don't understand your father.... I believe—I do firmly believe—if anything happened to any of you girls—anything bad—he would kill himself.... And I know he means that you aren't to go about so much as you used to do, unless we have the most definite promises. Of course, your father's ideas aren't always my ideas, Marjorie; but it's your duty—You know how hasty he is and—quick. Just as you know how good and generous and kind he is"—she caught Marjorie's eye, and added a little lamely—"at bottom." ... She thought. "I think I could get him to let you say just one word with Mr. Trafford. It would be very difficult, but——"
She paused for a few seconds, and seemed to be thinking deeply.
"Marjorie," she said, "Mr. Magnet must never know anything of this."
"But, mother——!"
"Nothing!"
"I can't go on with my engagement!"
Mrs. Pope shook her head inscrutably.
"But how can I, mother?"
"You need not tell him why, Marjorie."
"But——"
"Just think how it would humiliate and distress him! You can't, Marjorie. You must find some excuse—oh, any excuse! But not the truth—not the truth, Marjorie. It would be too dreadful."
Marjorie thought. "Look here, mother, I may see Mr. Trafford again? I may really speak to him?"
"Haven't I promised?"
"Then, I'll do as you say," said Marjorie.
§ 5
Mrs. Pope found her husband seated at the desk in the ultra-Protestant study, meditating gloomily.
"I've been talking to her," she said, "She's in a state of terrible distress."
"She ought to be," said Mr. Pope.
"Philip, you don't understand Marjorie."
"I don't."
"You think she was kissing that man."
"Well, she was."
"You can think that of her!"
Mr. Pope turned his chair to her. "But I saw!"
Mrs. Pope shook her head. "She wasn't; she was struggling to get away from him. She told me so herself. I've been into it with her. You don't understand, Philip. A man like that has a sort of fascination for a girl. He dazzles her. It's the way with girls. But you're quite mistaken.... Quite. It's a sort of hypnotism. She'll grow out of it. Of course, she loves Mr. Magnet. She does indeed. I've not a doubt of it. But——"
"You're sure she wasn't kissing him?"
"Positive."
"Then why didn't you say so?"
"A girl's so complex. You didn't give her a chance. She's fearfully ashamed of herself—fearfully! but it's just because she is ashamed that she won't admit it."
"I'll make her admit it."
"You ought to have had all boys," said Mrs. Pope. "Oh! she'll admit it some day—readily enough. But I believe a girl of her spirit would rather die than begin explaining. You can't expect it of her. Really you can't."