Gone Away (20 page)

“Pat! Oh, how lovely to see you!”

Patricia heard flying feet on the stairs behind her, then felt Maimie’s arms grasping her in a tight hug. “I couldn’t believe it when Auntie said you were here
... it
seemed too good to be true. The very person I most wanted to see! It’s lovely
...
wonderful!” Maimie gasped out the words, and, still embracing, she continued, “Auntie said you were out, you’d be back soon. I thought I heard the door.” She stood back and appraised Patricia. “You look just the same
...
the same dear old Pat. Oh, darling, you can’t imagine how I’ve longed for you. I’ll never forgive you for not sending me an address.” She laughed excitedly. “Perhaps it was my fault. I didn’t have any address myself for you to send to.”

“Maimie ... my flowers
...
you’ll crush them to pieces
...
” Patricia exclaimed in an effort to appear calm, and in order to stem the feeling of impotence that threatened to overwhelm her. It was too late; there was no escape. She had been spared the ordeal of waiting for this meeting. But wasn’t this worse? To be plunged into this reunion ... to be brought face to face with the man she most dreaded to meet without having time to armor herself.

“Aren’t you pleased to see me?” Maimie’s mouth pouted in the manner with which Patricia had been so familiar. “I guessed you’d be surprised to find us here already.” She laughed. “I couldn’t face a touching welcome with Auntie on the station platform; there might have been an awkward outburst too; so I thought we’d fly from Marseilles.” She prattled on, and Patricia was grateful for the interval for thought Maimie’s chatter afforded her. “Of course, I didn’t know that Auntie wouldn’t have been there anyway, that providence was keeping her away. I wish I’d known; I wouldn’t nave troubled to fly then,” she ended regretfully.

“Didn’t you enjoy flying then?” Patricia asked, hoping to encourage the conversation. Any pretext—anything—would serve that might gain her time, time to collect her thoughts, time to prepare for the ordeal awaiting her.

It was awful; bumpy, and visibility about nil!” Maimie turned away from Patricia and glanced down the stairs at the door leading to the drawing room she had just left. When she turned back to her friend, a frown creased her forehead. “Let’s go somewhere where we can talk. I’ve loads to say to you, and if Auntie hears us she will call us into the drawing room. I must—I just must talk to you alone before she finds you’re back.”

“Come into my room, then, while I take my things off.” There was a note of weariness in Patricia’s voice that Maimie was quick to detect.

“What’s the matter, Pat?” Maimie slipped her arm through her friend’s as they mounted the stairs. “You seem different
... quieter somehow
...
you don’t look the same either,” she added, peering into her companion’s face. “You look so white and sort of upset,” she added with concern.

“I’m perfectly all right.” Patricia entered her bedroom and, putting down her flowers, began to remove her outdoor things
. “
Isn’t it a wretched day?” she added irrelevantly.

“Yes, awful.” Maimie perched herself on the edge of the bed. “This used to be my room. It never looked like this when I had it
...
it was always so untidy you couldn’t see the furniture for the litter. Goodness, aren’t I glad I’ve left it for ever!” she concluded fervently.

Patricia swung round from the cupboard where she was hanging her coat. “Are you really? You’re happy, Maimie, really happy?” There was no hiding the urgency of her question, and Maimie looked at her friend in surprise before replying.

“Do you really mind so much? Yes, I am happy—gloriously, ecstatically happy! I didn’t think you’d care so much, but then, you were always much nicer to me than I deserved,” she admitted reminiscently.

“I don’t think so.” Patricia turned back to the cupboard and carefully arranged her coat on a hanger. She had no doubt of the veracity of Maimie’s reply but, whatever she had said, her face supplied the true answer. Patricia had never seen Maimie look so radiant
...
yes, radiant was the only word to describe her, her sparkling eyes and flushed face, her general air of added confidence. Her approaching maternity too, had touched her with kind fingers, and her face had filled out like a flower opening to the sun.

Patricia crossed to her dressing table and combed through the soft waves of her hair. If only she could get a hold on herself, sort out her emotions!

“Do hurry up and do your hair. I’m bursting to talk to you.” Maimie’s eager voice recalled Patricia back to reality.

Yes, she wasn’t scared any more; she’d meet Kay face to face, conceal the love which filled her heart, challenge him with her indifference.

“Light the gas fire and let’s chat in comfort.” Maimie gave an exaggerated shiver.

Patricia knelt on the floor and applied a match to the fire, while Maimie pulled up a chair.

“Come and sit here and I’ll sit on the stool,” Maimie suggested.

Patricia did as she was bid, and Maimie leaned back against the chair with her arm thrown across her friend’s knees. “I don’t know quite where to start, I’ve so much to tell you.”

“You’ll have to be quick ... I expect your aunt will be wondering where you are,” Patricia reminded her.

“I don’t think she heard you return. She wasn’t all agog listening for you as I was. I was determined to have a word with you alone before Auntie shouted my news at you herself. You don’t know
...
you haven’t guessed what I have to say, have you?”

“I believe I have
...
but then, you see, your aunt told me. I know you’re going to have a baby,” Patricia admitted.

Maimie received Patricia’s words with a burst of merry laughter. “Oh, Pat dear, I wasn’t going to tell you that. Even if Auntie hadn’t told you I could hardly expect it to come as a great surprise! Anyhow, I’m terribly thrilled.”

Of course you are ... it’s wonderful.”

“Still we mustn’t waste time. We’ll have lots of opportunities for discussing the baby, but there are more important things even than that I must tell you about immediately.

“No don’t interrupt me,” she added as Patricia expressed her surprise. “I’ve got to explain matters, and quickly. I’ve told you already that I didn’t want to meet Auntie at the station
...
that’s why we flew. I was afraid there’d be a row in public, and I couldn’t bear that. We imagined she might be easier under her own roof.”

“But what was there to tackle her about?” Patricia asked, no longer able to keep silent.

“Plenty.” Maimie spoke the one word grimly, then turned more confidently to her friend. “I didn’t marry Seymour after all! I’ve brought back as my husband a man whom Auntie has never set eyes on before.”

“
You didn’t marry Seymour
!”
Patricia echoed, emphasizing every word as her eyes questioned Maimie, amazement and disbelief in their depth.

“No, I didn’t. We should never have been happy together.” There was a note of defiance in Maimie’s voice. “You should understand; you saw us together. I think you realized all the time how hopelessly unsuited we were. I believe you even tried to show me, and in a way you helped; anyhow, after you’d gone it dawned on me how utterly hopeless it would have been. I took the plunge just in time. I don’t believe I came to my senses until I appreciated how lost I felt when you’d left. You were always such a support, and Seymour didn’t make up for the emptiness your absence caused. I left the bungalow the day before we were to have married. I went to Claud. I couldn’t have lived without him. We thought our affair was a mere flirtation; neither of us had admitted before how much deeper it really went. Oh, Patricia, you do understand, don’t you?” Maimie pleaded, burying her head in Patricia’s lap.

Patricia stroked Maimie’s golden hair with mechanical fingers. “Of course, I understand. You’re both happy; that’s surely all that matters.” Even while she spoke, her thoughts were far away from the girl by her side. Claud and Maimie ... so it was Claud downstairs behind that closed door, Claud whom she must face and shake by the hand. A wave of relief surged over her. She had wanted to escape, had been fearing an
d
dreading a mythical happening, a thing which didn’t exist and would never happen.

“
I understand. I do really. I think you were right. You loved Claud, and to have married without love would have been unthinkable.” Patricia murmured her consoling words while her hands still rested on Maimie’s lowered head.

Maimie lifted her hand and glanced up. Although her eyes were still clouded with uncertainty, her lips smiled. “You’re so silent, Pat. You don’t blame me, do you?”

“Of course I don’t. I think it was the right thing to do. To have married Seymour in such circumstances would have been terribly cruel.”

“I knew you’d say that.” Maimie leaned eagerly forward. “I thought Auntie would have a fit on the platform if I turned up with a strange man. It was much easier explaining things here. I told her that I found that Seymour and I were unsuited to one another and that we parted by mutual consent. We didn’t exactly do that. I ran away and left him a letter, but Auntie needn’t know that. On the whole she took it fairly well.” Maimie laughed. “Claud can get around any woman
...
even Auntie. You should have seen him making up to her!” Maimie sighed complacently. “On the whole, things went off much better than I expected, but thank goodness it’s over!”

“Miss Hanny must be surprised that I didn’t know.”

“I told her we only parted the day before the wedding; you’d left by then. I could have written and told her, but I was afraid. She’s such a funny old soul; she might have determined to quarrel with Claud and have refused to see him, then I should have been in a mess. I felt sure that once she’d met him, it would be all right,” Maimie said with assurance. “That’s why I wouldn’t give her an address to write to. I pretended we were on the move all the time. You see, I didn’t dare give her my real name.”

“I see. I’d wondered why you hadn’t given her even a postal address.”

“Now I’ll tell you why I wanted to see you first
...
before Auntie burst the news on you.” Maimie scrambled to her feet and stood confronting her friend. “I knew the announcement would take you by surprise and you might not say the right thing. Now when Auntie tells you,” Maimie counselled, “you’ve got to be awfully pleased. Tell her you think I acted for the best; that Seymour and I were never suited; tell her he would have made an impossible husband
...
that he was a bully ... a drunkard
...
anything you like,” Maimie ended laughingly.

Patricia rose slowly to her feet. “I
...
I’ll do what I can.” She followed Maimie to the door. “I suppose we’d better go down now.”

CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVEN

M
aimie stretched her arms lazily above her head as she addressed her husband. “I’m much too tired to unpack now. Besides, it’s the first moment we’ve had to ourselves since we arrived; it's a shame to waste time unpacking.”

“Does the aged aunt rest every afternoon?”

“Yes, usually in her bedroom. She’s only remaining downstairs today because of her foot, but she won’t expect us to appear on the scene until tea-time.”

Claud crossed their bedroom to Maimie’s side and slipped his arm round her shoulders. “I suppose Pat will be down to tea. Funny finding her here, wasn’t it? Extraordinary coincidence.”

“A very lucky one,” Maimie promptly added. “I believe it helped an awful lot when she seconded my statement that Seymour and I were utterly unsuited. She played up marvellously.” Then, reverting to Patricia’s plans, Maimie continued, “Pat leaves this afternoon; she’s going home for good. Apparently her father insists. I’m sorry, because she’s so tactful with Auntie. Besides, I’ve hardly seen her at all.” She frowned.

“Well, don’t look so worried about it.” Claud drew her closer to him and asked her gently. “I don’t like that frown. Cheer up. Pat will be able to come and stay with us sometimes when we have our own home.”

Held affectionately in Claud’s embrace, Maimie was hardly aware of the opening door, and it was not until Patricia spoke that she realized her presence.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Patricia remarked awkwardly. “I did knock. I thought you’d heard me.”

Maimie struggled to her feet. “We were too busy to hear.” She laughed. “Anyway, it isn’t the first time you’ve come across us in a compromising position. You ought to be used to it by now,” she continued with good humor and then, turning to Claud added, “Do you remember that embarrassing moment by the swimming pool?” Claud stood up and linked his arm through his wife’s.
“
I don’t think I’ll ever forget our first kiss, and I believe it
brought about my downfall.”

“Downfall, indeed!” Maimie mocked laughingly. “More likely your elevation to a higher plane, hitherto unimagined in your previous debased existence!” She turned back to Patricia. “Why, you’re dressed already. Are you leaving now? Aren’t you here for tea?” she asked with surprise.

“No, I’m afraid not. Five-fifteen is the last fast train, unless I wait until midnight. I really must catch it. I came to say goodbye.”

“Can’t you stay on just a bit?” Maimie suggested coaxingly. “Surely it wouldn’t matter if you waited until tomorrow? I’ve hardly seen anything of you, and after all
it’
s
a
long time too.”

“I really can’t
...
you see, I was supposed to leave a few days ago, and then your aunt’s accident delayed me. I put Daddy off then; I really can’t do it again,” Patricia explained.

“Well, thank goodness for Auntie’s sprained foot. I’d have been furious if you’d left without seeing us.” Maimie pouted childishly. “It really would have been awfully mean
...
you wouldn’t have dared do it.”

“It would only have been a postponement of our meeting
...
I’d have seen you later. I dare say I shall come to London occasionally,” Patricia explained. After all, she reasoned, that was true now. Maimie would no doubt accept that explanation; there was no reason why she should do otherwise. How could Maimie know that everything was different now? They would meet—and the knowledge filled Patricia with pleasure—as often as they could; there was nothing to keep them apart now Kay was no longer a part of Maimie’s life; their friendship could be resumed without fear or pain.

“You will write to me and let me know how you are getting on,” Maimie insisted. “Claud and I want you to come and stay with us.
We
must see you as much as possible while we’re in England.”

“Yes, of course I’ll write
...
but now I really must get off. I’ve ordered my taxi, and I’ve still to say goodbye to your aunt.” She crossed to Maimie and kissed her fondly. “Bye-bye, dear. I’m delighted that you’re so happy.” Then, taking Claud’s extended hand and shaking it warmly, she hurried from the room.

A few moments later Patricia found herself in Miss Hanny’s presence. The older woman was reclining on a couch, and she looked up as Patricia entered.

“Off already, my dear? I hope you’re not too rushed. I’d like a few words with you before you leave.” She indicated a chair. “Pull that up and make yourself comfortable. I’ve been so overwrought since Maimie’s unexpected arrival, I really haven’t had a minute in which to talk with you.”

Patricia drew forward a chair. “I’m afraid I haven’t very long. My train
...
”

“Five-fifteen, you said.” Miss Hanny glanced at the ormolu clock on the mantel. “You’ve plenty of time; it’s not more than twenty minutes to the station.” Without allowing Patricia to utter any protest, she continued speaking. “Not a flower in the place
...
what do you think of it?
”
Harriet Hanny made a clucking sound with her tongue. “I see you’ve done them now—they look very nice—but to think nothing was ready when Maimie got here, and after all the trouble I’d taken too. It really was most thoughtless of the child; but there, Maimie was always like that, headstrong and inconsiderate.”

“Still, it’s nice to know she’s safely here, and her surprise appearance must have been rather exciting,” Patricia murmured consolingly.

“Exciting indeed!” Miss Hanny echoed. “It was certainly surprising. There was I expecting to greet Mr. Warinder, and Maimie arrives with a complete stranger!” She shook her head disapprovingly. “I wouldn’t have believed it of the child, deceiving me like that!
”

“It would have been hopeless to write you. I am sure Maimie did the wisest thing in bringing her husband home to meet you personally.” Patricia cast an anguished glance at the clock. It was dreadful to be wasting time like this; if she lost her train she’d have ages to wait, and then only get a train that stopped at every station. “I really think—”

“Yes, perhaps you’re right,” Harriet Hanny broke in, but unaware of Patricia’s restless anxiety to leave, she continued, “It’s useless protesting now. Maimie has married this man and that’s the end of it. He seems very nice?” There was a questioning expression in her face as she turned to her companion. “Don’t you think so?
I
fancy that perhaps Maimie was right. After all, marriage is a very serious matter, and if she really found she didn’t care sufficiently for Mr. Warinder
...
” She broke off and made a helpless gesture with her hands. “I think perhaps I shall grow to like this Mr. Burny in time.” A smile curved her thin lips. “Dear me, I suppose I must call him Claud now he is my nephew.”

“I’m sure you’ll get fond of him; he is really very charming,” Patricia replied, then hurriedly added, “I really ought to go now. Is there anything more I can do for you before I leave ... or anything you wanted to say?”