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Jane chuckled as she answered. It drove Mrs. Tower to the final
pitch of frenzy.
“Don’t laugh, Jane. I won’t have it. I don’t think you can be
right in your mind. It’s dreadful.”
It was altogether too much for her and she burst into tears. She
knew that at her age it was fatal to cry, her eyes would be swollen for
twenty-four hours and she would look a sight. But there was no help
for it. She wept. Jane remained perfectly calm. She looked at Marion
through her large spectacles and reflectively smoothed the lap of her
black silk dress.
“You’re going to be so dreadfully unhappy,” Mrs. Tower
sobbed, dabbing her eyes cautiously in the hope that the black on her
lashes would not smudge.
“I don’t think so, you know,” Jane answered in those equable,
mild tones of hers, as if there were a little smile behind the words.
“We’ve talked it over very thoroughly. I always think I’m a very easy
person to live with. I think I shall make Gilbert very happy and
comfortable. He’s never had anyone to look after him properly.
We’re only marrying after mature consideration, And we’ve decided
that if either of us wants his liberty the other will place no obstacles
in the way of his getting it.”
Mrs. Tower had by now recovered herself sufficiently to make
a cutting remark.
“How much has he persuaded you to settle on him?”
“I wanted to settle a thousand a year on him, but he wouldn’t
hear of it. He was quite upset when I made the suggestion. He says he
can earn quite enough for his own needs.”
“He’s more cunning than I thought,” said Mrs. Tower acidly.
Jane paused a little and looked at her sister-in-law with kindly
but resolute eyes.
“You see, my dear, it’s different for you,” she said. “You’ve
never been so very much a widow, have you?”
Mrs. Tower looked at her. She blushed a little. She even felt
slightly uncomfortable. But of course Jane was much too simple to
intend an innuendo. Mrs. Tower gathered herself together with
dignity.
“I’m so upset that I really must go to bed,” she said. “We’ll
resume the conversation tomorrow morning.”