‘That’s what I feel myself,’ Mona thought with a sudden pang.
Then quickly she put her personal feelings on one side, concentrating determinedly and fiercely on her friend.
“What have you got to wear?”
“Not a thing,” Dorothy said cheerfully.
“Then I’m going back now to find you something.”
Dorothy Howlett laughed. “Sweet of you dear, but nothing of yours would go round my hips by yards.”
“Oh, yes, it would,” Mona said. “I’ve got some pleated dresses somewhere and those will easily fit you. Anyway, Dorothy, don’t be so difficult. You’ve got to look your best tonight, you’ve got to flirt with your own husband.”
“I swear you’re making me feel quite shy. Why are you doing this?”
“To make you look young again. Also, to be selfish, it makes me feel so terribly ancient myself to see someone who is not much older than I am, looking a million.”
“Do I look as bad as all that?” Dorothy asked.
“Quite,” Mona answered ruthlessly, “but you won’t when I’ve finished with you. I shall be sending you down some astringent lotion for your face, some rouge and a lipstick – and kindly use them.”
“My dear, if Mavis Gunther sees me going out like that what will she say!”
“Nothing worse than she’s said already.”
“I think you are right there,” Dorothy laughed. “Well, now I must get the children’s tea. Are you quite sure you won’t stay and have some?”
“I’ve got a lot to do,” Mona told her. “And if you don’t look your prettiest tonight, I shall flirt with Arthur myself, I warn you.”
“He’d love it. He’s always admired you.”
“I wish I could believe that, but he first saw me when I had mumps and I have a sneaky feeling that he’s never quite forgotten the spectacle I presented. No, I’ll confine myself to being pleasant to Michael. Your job is to make Arthur feel that he’s twenty-two again.”
“I’ll do my best,” Dorothy promised.
Suddenly she bent forward and kissed Mona.
“You are a darling! We need you here among us. We’ve got so self-centred.”
As Mona walked down the road she thought,
‘I don’t deserve that. I’m the one who’s been self-centred all these years.’
She looked back and tried to remember someone to whom she had been kind, someone in whom she had taken an interest besides Lionel. But all her searching could recall nothing save the moments of supreme happiness with the man she loved and moments of utter despair and misery when she was alone.
“I won’t think about it,” she muttered.
Blindly, not looking where she was going, she bumped straight into Mrs. Gunther.
“Well, Lady Carsdale, this is a surprise!” Mrs. Gunther exclaimed, in her high metallic voice, which had been known to send cold shudders down the spine of those whom she reprimanded.
“Is it?” Mona asked. “The village is a small place, Mrs. Gunther, and I have been home nearly a week. We were bound to meet sooner or later.”
Mrs. Gunther for a second looked taken aback at having her words seized upon so literally, then she remarked,
“And how delightful it must be for you to be back. I am sure you are quite a stranger. Your poor mother must have been wondering if she was ever going to see you again.”
There was malice and enmity in the words, which she spoke with a smiling mouth, her beady little eyes watching Mona to see the effect of them.
‘She’s trying to make me feel uncomfortable,’ Mona thought, amused at anyone doing so exactly what was expected of them.
“I’m afraid it has been rather lonely for my mother,” she replied, “but here I am at last and now I shall be able to be with her and make up for lost time.”
“And you are making a long stay, Lady Carsdale?”
“Very long,” Mona replied. “God willing, of course, I was thinking of remaining here for the rest of my life.”
“Indeed! We should be very flattered at the idea,” Mrs. Gunther said, “but I am afraid you will find it very dull. We haven’t many diversions in Little Cobble.”
There was a wealth of meaning in the word “diversions” as Mrs. Gunther said it.
“Oh, don’t you think so?” Mona asked innocently. “I find it very amusing, especially the people. Most of them are so true to type but one or two are surprising – but then there’s no need to say that to you. You know all the secrets of the village, of course.”
“Secrets!” Mrs. Gunther said. “Are there any…”
She checked the words and substituted,
“I expect, being quite a stranger, you see things from a different aspect from we who have been here all these years.”
