The Little Nugget

, I imagined, would have broken the news already, which would mitigate the embarrassment of the interview to some extent; but the recolle

eeted me as I unho

you? I want you to co

t starting

h. Ask for Mrs Ford's suite. It's very important. I'll tell

A walk of a couple of minutes took me there. Mrs Ford's suite was on

id. 'You're a dea

omehow a little unreal. I suppose I must have shown this in my manner, for she suddenly broke what had amounted to a distinct pause by giving a little laugh. 'Peter,' she said, 'you're embarrassed.' I denied the charge warmly, but without real conviction.

d to smile. She was looking at

e said, 'ar

,' I said, 'what's t

ure?' she

on of two large eyes looking at me out of

sed C

to cover it up.' She was not responsive. 'You're in a very

een thi

ng has gone wrong.' A

er-is your mother

ted. She always

f-restraint t

' I said. 'Tired

as simple

ll

icult to put

ry

n the table, her face turned away

me just because you're sorry for me? Don't speak. I can tell you now if you will just let me say straight out what's in my mind. We have known each other for

ear g

t answered

o minutes ago whe

do lo

es

w she turned and looked into my eyes with an abrupt intensi

me as much as you

thither, trying to recall an occasion when I could have mentioned Audrey to h

level-headed, and I have more than a grain in me. I was shaken. Ever since I had aske

d. 'What do you kno

her face

fect you very strongl

vered

tell you that a wound, long after it has hea

has reall

when you can hardly remember how

aid n

hear about-

een engaged to be married to a girl named Audrey Blake. He was to have been your best man, he said, but one day yo

: 'that is al

air, Peter. I mean-the sort of thing

not doing it well. It was hurting me ext

possible,' I said, 'unless he

at. You know what

I said,

nd took me by the should

tly say you have forg

me

,' I

me-that curious sensation of

not stand

' I

rd. It was as if some subconscious pa

et

r face; as she raised it to

ad changed. She was a different being from the girl w

are! You've crushed me. I expect you used

t them back on their shelf directly I have no further immediate use

ter?' I ask

o'-she turned me round

taken no particular notice of it. I now gave it a closer glance. It was a portrait,

ur troubles, don't we! Who is this you

Mrs Ford's son.

Does he really squint like that, or

. It's the loss of th

's he

s sh

fully sorry. I woul

he is dead to her. The court gave h

cou

e of Elmer Ford, the

divorced a

s

gazing at

his way,' she said. 'They call h

hy is

have for him. Ever so many attem

and looked

d. I went down to the country, whe

at on earth

breaking her heart about not being able to see him, so I s

r I felt as if my brain were giving way. The perfect calmness with

re jo

stole

The law! It's a pena

he's just an unscrupulous financier, without a thought above money. To think of a boy growing up in

ling feebly with the le

g, you know! The law doesn't take any

through

been afraid to

had not considere

would. If I asked you

, you know! It's such an

t. Do you d

could think of

quite different from the sort of kidnapping you naturally look on as horrible? It's just taking a boy away

pa

it for me, Pe

id feebly. 'It's done. You

an to me if you agree to try? I'm only human, I can't help, at the bottom of my heart, still being a little jealous of this A

nce that moment at the dance came over me with renewed intensity. Life had ceased to be a rather grey, orderly business in whic

it, Peter?

umably mine,

ar old

the arm of it, laid her hand on mine and b

'I'll tell you wha

g to have been extremely confident that that essential part of her plans, my consent to