But there it is--I thought I ought to warn you about Grace.""As to Paul, I believe you'd be happy.You'd have your home and your life and your friends.Skeaton isn't so bad if you live in it, Ibelieve, and Paul could get another living if you weren't happy there."Did Katherine have any scruples as she pursued her argument? A real glance at Maggie's confiding trustful gaze might have shaken her resolve.This child who knew so little about anything--was Skeaton the world for her? But Katherine had so many philanthropies that she was given to finishing one off a little abruptly in order to make ready for the next one.
She was interested just now in a scheme for adopting illegitimate babies.She thought Maggie an "angel" and she just longed for her to be happy.Nevertheless Maggie was very ignorant, and it was a little difficult to see what trade or occupation she would be able to adopt.She was nearly well now and Katherine did not know quite what to do with her.Here was an admirable marriage, something that would give a home and children and friends.What could be better? She had just passed apparently through a love affair that could have led to no possible good--solve the difficulty, make Maggie safe for life, and pass on to the illegitimate babies!
"Of course, I don't love him," said Maggie, staring in front of her.
"But you like him," said Katherine."It isn't as though Paul were a very young man.He wouldn't expect anything very romantic.He isn't really a romantic man himself.""And I shall always love Martin," pursued Maggie.
Katherine's own romance had fulfilled itself so thoroughly that it had almost ceased to be romantic.The Trenchard blood in her made her a little impatient of unfulfilled romances.
"Don't you think, Maggie, dear," she said gently, "that it would be better to forget him?""No, I don't," said Maggie, moving away from Katherine."And Ishould have to tell Paul about him.I'd tell Paul the exact truth, that if I married him it was because I liked him and I thought we'd be good friends.I see quite clearly that I can't sit for ever waiting for Martin to come back, and the sooner I settle to something the better.If Paul wants a friend I can be one, but Ishould never love him--even though Martin wasn't there.And as to the managing, I'm dreadfully careless and forgetful.""You'd soon learn," said Katherine.
"Do you think I should?" asked Maggie."I don't know, I'm sure.As to Grace, I think we'd get on all right.There's a greater difficulty than that though.""What?" asked Katherine as Maggie hesitated.
"Religion," said Maggie."Paul's a clergyman and I don't believe in his religion at all.Two months ago I'd have said I hated all religion--and so would you if you'd had a time like me.But since Martin's gone I'm not so sure.There's some-thing I want to find out...But Paul's found out everything.He's quite sure and certain.
I'd have to tell him I don't believe in any of his faith.""Tell him.of course," said Katherine."I think he knows that already.He's going to convert you.He looks forward to it.If he hadn't been so lazy he'd have been a missionary.""Tell me about Skeaton," said Maggie.
"I've only been there once," said Katherine."Frankly, I didn't like it very much, but then I'm so used to the Glebeshire sea that it all seemed rather tame.There was a good deal of sand blowing about the day I was there, but Paul's house is nice with a garden and a croquet-lawn, and--and--Oh! very nice, and nice people next door Ibelieve."
"I'm glad it's not like Glebeshire," said Maggie."That's a point in its favour.I want to be somewhere where everything is quiet and orderly, and every one knows their own mind and all the bells ring at the right time and no one's strange or queer, and--most of all--where no one's afraid of anything.All my life I've been with people who were afraid and I've been afraid myself.Now Paul and Grace are not afraid of anything.""No, they're not," said Katherine, laughing.
Suddenly Maggie broke out:
"Katherine! Tell me truly.Does Paul want me, does he need me? Does he indeed?"The storm of appeal in Maggie's voice made Katherine suddenly shy;there was a hint at loneliness and desolation there that was something beyond her reach.She wanted to help.She was suddenly frightened at her urging of Paul's suit.Something seemed to say to her: "Leave this alone.Don't take the responsibility of this.You don't understand..."But another voice said: "Poor child...all alone, penniless, without a friend.What a chance for her! Paul such a kind man."So she kissed Maggie, and said: "He wants you dreadfully, Maggie dear."Maggie's cheeks flushed.
"That's nice," she said in her most ordinary voice."Because no one ever has before, you know."Paul's proposal came the very next day.It came after luncheon in a corner of the drawing-room.
Maggie knew quite well that it was coming.She was lying in a long chair near the fire, a shawl over her knees.It was a blustering day at the end of February.The windows rattled, and the wind rushing down the chimney blew the flame into little flags and pennants of colour.
Paul came and stood by the fire, warming his hands, his legs spread out.Maggie looked at him with a long comprehensive glance that took him in from head to foot.She seemed to know then that she was going to marry him.A voice seemed to say to her: "Look at him well.This is the man you're going to live with.You'd better realise him."She did realise him; his white hair, his rosy cheeks, his boyish nose and mouth and rounded chin, his broad chest, thick long legs and large white hands--soft perhaps, but warm and comfortable and safe.Maggie could think of little else as she looked at him but of how nice it would be to lay her head back on that broad chest, feel his arms around her, and forget--forget--forget!
