夜雨聆风The two of them had disappeared now, but I had a shrewd idea ofwhere they might be. There was a summer-house concealed in a grove oflilac trees not far away.
I went towards it. I think Norton was still with me, but I’m not sure.
As I got nearer I heard voices and stopped. It was Allerton’s voice Iheard.
‘Well, then, my dear girl, that’s settled. Don’t make any more objections.
You go up to town tomorrow. I’ll say I’m running over to Ipswich to staywith a pal for a night or two. You wire from London that you can’t getback. And who’s to know of that charming little dinner at my flat? Youwon’t regret it, I can promise you.’
I felt Norton tugging at me, and suddenly, meekly, I turned. I almostlaughed at the sight of his worried anxious face. I let him drag me back tothe house. I pretended to give in because I knew, at that moment, exactlywhat I was going to do …
I said to him clearly and distinctly: ‘Don’t worry, old chap. It’s all nogood – I see that now. You can’t control your children’s lives. I’m through.’
He was ridiculously relieved.
Shortly afterwards, I told him I was going to bed early. I’d got a bit of aheadache, I said.
He had no suspicions at all of what I was going to do.