Page:The Climber (Benson).djvu/267

Rh always necessary to wait on events; circumstances might occur—circumstances might occur …

And then the whole falseness, the unreality of such imaginings, burst upon her. There were no circumstances or events to wait upon; it was no good to make sensible plans, to be calm and judicious. She was in love, and he loved her. Other people, no doubt, would have to be deceived, but where was the use of attempting to deceive herself over the central fact of the situation? The one absolute necessity for the time, indeed, was that both Edgar and Maud should be deceived. Otherwise—here Lucia's reflections were completely characteristic—their lives would be wrecked. And with this convincing and comfortable piece of hypocrisy she went down to breakfast.

The day passed without any opportunity for a conversation, sensible or otherwise, with Charlie, for he had a golfing engagement which took him away directly after breakfast. She had, indeed, but a couple of words with him, and that quite in public, when he said to her across the table:

"It's too hot for golf; Lucia, do be clever and invent an excuse for me, so that I needn't go."

Her eyes met his, and she read that which underlay the commonplace inquiry. She shook her head.

"Never," she exclaimed. "You must always keep little engagements. Big engagements are another question. But little trivial engagements are sacred. It's like taking care of the pence, and leaving the pounds to take care of themselves."

Her answer was trivial too, but it was not difficult for him to read into it the significance she meant it to bear. And quick as lightning the love-glance shot from eye to eye.

Edgar sent a telegram that morning to say he would be able to get down earlier than usual, and Lucia, in the spirit of keeping little engagements—though, indeed, she had made none in this particular—drove down to Brixham to meet him, as his train did not stop at Brayton, and was on the platform when it got in.

He flushed with pleasure seeing her.

"But this is too delightful," he said. "Have you been shopping in Brixham, dear?"

Lucia smiled charmingly at him.

"Indeed I have not," she said. "I came in simply to meet you. Does that seem to you such strange conduct?"