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"Gerald." She smiled at him when he was shown into the parlor, but she did not, as she usually did, hurry
across the room to him, her hands outstretched. She stood where she was, close to the fire.
"Hello, Priss," he said. And he stopped close to the door.
"How was the wedding?" she asked.
"It took place." he said. "She seems the most unlikely bride for Miles you could possibly imagine. But I
suppose it was his decision and he must live with it."
"He will make the best of it," she said. "He is a kind gentleman."
"Yes,"' he said.
"Won't you sit down?" She gestured formally to a chair.
"Priss,'" he said, "have you made a final decision?"
"If he sends," she said, "and I think he will, Gerald, I think I ought to go."
"Yes," he said. "I think you ought."
"But it may not be for another few days," she said. "Will you mind my staying here until then, Gerald?
Perhaps I ought not. Perhaps you would prefer that I went somewhere else?"
"Where?" he asked.
"To Miss Blythe's," she said. "She would give me a room."
"I don't want you at Kit's," he said. "Besides, Priss, I don't think he would want you there. He surely
would not, would he?"
"No." she said.
"Well, then," he said, "you had better stay here until you know for certain."
"Yes," she said. "Thank you."
"Priss." he said. He still had not moved from his spot just inside the door. He still had not sat down. "Is
this what you want to do? If it is, then I think you ought to go. But if it is not, then you had better stay
with me. I can renew the lease on the house. We could even make a sort of contract for a year or two or
even three if you wish. Perhaps I could even buy the house and you could live here when I finally& when
we finally& "
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"I think I should go, Gerald," she said.
"Yes," he said briskly. "Well. then. What do you want to do, Priss? Go walking in the park? It is a nice
day, though cool."
"No," she said. "I think you had better leave, Gerald. You are uncomfortable, aren't you?"
"Deuced uncomfortable," he said.
"Go, then," she said.
"It's not that I don't want to be with you or touch you, Priss," he said. "It's just that I don't think I ought.
It wouldn't seem right."
She smiled. "I will be gone within the week, Gerald," she said, "and then you may be comfortable again,
dear."
Dear. She had called him that before. He frowned. He could not recall when the devil it had been.
"Yes," he said, '"and you will be excited to have this life behind you once and for all, Priss. I'm glad for
you."
"Thank you," she said.
"Well, then," he said, his voice hearty, "I'll be going. A couple of fellows are expecting me at White's. I'll
look in on you in a few days' time again. The day after tomorrow."
"I'll be here," she said quietly.
"Good day to you, then, Priss," he said.
She smiled at him. All he heard was his name, whispered.
Sir Gerald met the Earl of Severn at White's the next morning. His friend was looking quite pleased with
himself, he noticed when he looked at him closely. He was not totally disillusioned with his marriage yet.
then.
"How is Prissy?" the earl asked when they had been talking about Jenny, newly released from the earl's
employ and besieged by eager would-be replacements. "Still threatening to move back home to the
country?"
"Some rejected swain wants her back," Sir Gerald said, "even knowing what she has become. She
should go, I keep telling her. She does not really suit the life of a courtesan. It's time I found someone
else, anyway. A year is too long to spend with one mistress makes them too possessive."
It was amazing, he thought as the conversation moved on to other matters, how one could make light of
a topic that weighed one down with the whole burden of the universe.It's time I found someone else ,
he had said. Who? Could there ever be anyone else?A year is too long to spend with one mistress .
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Yes it was. It was far too long. A day had been too long with Priss. That very first hour with her had
been too long. He had been lost, surely, after that one hour.
Makes them too possessive. Unfair. Oh, unfair. When had Priss ever been possessive?
He could not talk about his feelings to his friend. How could he? His feelings were too deep to share.
And he was ashamed of them, if the truth were known. He was breaking up with a mistress. That was all.
They had been together for a year. She had been thoroughly satisfactory. He was used to her,
comfortable with her. Now they were breaking up. It was time. He had been right about that.
He was ashamed of the fact that he could not feel as nonchalant as his words had been.
He had a ball to attend that evening, he remembered as he walked home later that afternoon. Lady
Trevor's ball. He hated balls. He would dance once with Lady Severn and then take himself off to the
card room. At least the entertainment would keep his mind off Priss.
But when he arrived back at his rooms, it was to find a note from her there. She wished to see him
immediately if it was convenient to him. She had never written to him before.
It was late afternoon by the time he arrived at her house. She came downstairs to the parlor as soon as
he was admitted.
"Gerald," she said, "you had my note? I was sorry to have to write to you at home."
"Don't mention it, Priss," he said, clasping his hands behind him, noting that their positions were reversed
from the day before. He stood before the fire, she close to the door. 'What is it?"
"I can leave immediately," she said. "He wants me to go without delay, Gerald. Tomorrow. There is a
stage early in the morning."
"Ah," he said.
"So I will be leaving, then," she said. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]