Silence.
My exasperation augmented.
"Will you also please engage a maid, and go and order every sort of
clothes which you ought to have. I know by the way you were dressed when
I saw you in the Bois that Sunday, that your taste is perfect."
She stiffened as I spoke. It was quite plain to be seen that she loathed
taking anything from me, but I had no intention of ceding a single point
where I had the right to impose my will.
"You see you will be known as my wife, therefore you must dress
according to the position, and have everything my mother used to have.
Otherwise, people would not respect you, and only think that you were
invidiously placed."
Her cheeks flamed again at the last words.
"It is difficult to picture it all," she said; "Tell me exactly what you
expect of me daily."
"I expect that when you have breakfasted, in your room if you wish, that
you will come and talk to me, perhaps do a little writing, or go out to
drive, or what you wish, and that we shall lunch, and in the afternoon
do whatever turns up. You will want to go out and see your friends and
do what you please. And perhaps you will play to me as often as you feel
inclined, and after dinner we can go to the theatre, or read, or do
whatever you like. And as soon as my treatments with these doctors are
concluded, and I have my new leg and eye, and we shall hope war is
finished, we can travel, or go back to England, and then I shall begin
taking up a political career, and I shall hope you will take a real
interest in that and help me as though I were your brother."
"Very well."
"You will order the clothes to-day?"
"Yes."
She was subdued now, the programme was not very formidable, except that
it contained daily companionship with me.
"Have you told the Duchesse de Courville-Hautevine yet that we are
engaged?" I asked after a moment's pause.
Discomfort grew in her manner.
"No."
"Do you think that she will not approve of the marriage?"
"She may not."
"Perhaps you would rather that I told her?"
"As you please."
"I want you to understand something quite clearly, Alathea." She started
when I said her name, "and that is that I expect you to treat me with
confidence, and tell me anything which you think that I ought to know,
so that we neither of us can be put in a false position, beyond that,
believe me, I have no curiosity. I desire a companionship of brain, and
a sort of permanent secretary who does not feel hostile all the time,
that is all."