Natalie blew a tiny cloud of cigaret smoke, and watched it for a moment.
"You sound fearfully involved. But never mind about that. I daresay I've
done something; I don't know what, but of course I am guilty."
"Why did you bring Marion here to-day, mother?"
"Well, if you want to know exactly, I met her coming out of church, and
it occurred to me that we were having rather a nice luncheon, and
that it would be a pity not to ask some one to come in. It was a nice
luncheon, wasn't it?"
"That's why you asked her? For food?"
"Brutally put, but correct."
"You have been asking her here a lot lately. And yet the last time we
discussed her you said she was fast. That she wanted to marry me for my
money. That people would laugh if I fell for it."
"I hardly used those words, did I?"
"For heaven's sake, mother," he cried, exasperated. "Don't quibble.
Let's get down to facts. Does your bringing her here mean that you've
changed your mind?"
Natalie considered. She was afraid of too quick a surrender lest he grow
suspicious. She decided to temporize, with the affectation of frankness
that had once deceived Clayton, and that still, she knew, affected
Graham.
"I'll tell you exactly," she said, slowly. "At first I thought it was
just an infatuation. And--you really are young, Graham, although you
look and act like such a man. But I feel, now that time has gone on and
you still care about her, that after all, your happiness is all that
matters."
"Mother!"
But she held up her hand.
"Remember, I am only speaking for myself. My dearest wish is to make you
happy. You are all I have. But I cannot help you very much. Your father
looks at those things differently. He doesn't quite realize that you are
grown up, and have a right to decide some things for yourself."
"He has moved me up, raised my salary."
"That's different. You're valuable to him, naturally. I don't mean he
doesn't love you," she added hastily, as Graham wheeled and stared at
her. "Of course he does, in his own way. It's not my way, but then--I'm
only a woman and a mother."
"You think he'll object?"
"I think he must be handled. If you rush at him, and demand the right to
live your own life--"