His people wouldn't let him. Poor
father! I can't help liking him. Mother wasn't the sort of woman who
could keep him straight, anyhow. He was killed in the war. I believe
his men worshipped him. They say great big troopers broke down and cried
over his body on the battlefield. I wish I'd known him. Mother had all
the life crushed out of her. The world--" She clenched her fist. "Oh,
people can be horrid to a woman like that!" She turned upon Hewet.
"Well," she said, "d'you want to know any more about me?"
"But you?" he asked, "Who looked after you?"
"I've looked after myself mostly," she laughed. "I've had splendid
friends. I do like people! That's the trouble. What would you do if you
liked two people, both of them tremendously, and you couldn't tell which
most?"
"I should go on liking them--I should wait and see. Why not?"
"But one has to make up one's mind," said Evelyn. "Or are you one of the
people who doesn't believe in marriages and all that? Look here--this
isn't fair, I do all the telling, and you tell nothing. Perhaps you're
the same as your friend"--she looked at him suspiciously; "perhaps you
don't like me?"
"I don't know you," said Hewet.
"I know when I like a person directly I see them! I knew I liked you the
very first night at dinner. Oh dear," she continued impatiently, "what
a lot of bother would be saved if only people would say the things they
think straight out! I'm made like that.
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