Alice Muriel Williamson

“ Can't you believe that?"
"I neither can nor do I wish to believe it now, lady Hardacre. It would lower you in my eyes to think that you had loved me and married another man."
"Ah, men can't understand women. You were an ideal man for me, and then, when I thought you guilty of terrible mistakes, of stooping to untruths to save yourself, the ideal died."
"If you had really cared you would not have believed me guilty. Your sister, little Pearl, who has thought of me as an elder brother—no more—how faithful she has been through all! ”

“ She gathered up her cloak and went out.
When she had gone and he had shut the door behind her—quickly, that no chance passer-by in the corridor might see Diana Hardacre leaving him at this unseemly hour—he walked back to the room, where the perfume of her presence lingered. On the table, among a litter of pipes and papers, lay a handkerchief. He stood looking down at the wisp of cambric and lace, unseeingly, his head bowed by the weight of the burden he had undertaken to bear for ever, for the sake of—what? His pride, perhaps. ”

“ General Lord Hardacre was forty-four; but to be forty-four is to be young when a man is a hero to his country. He had a well-featured, sallow, smileless face, which his friends called intellectual and his enemies arrogant. His figure was so erect and military that he gave the effect of being taller than he really was; if not precisely handsome, the merest passing glance told that he was someone in particular.
As for Miss Faithfull, she was only Lady Hardacre's sister, eight years younger and ten times less beautiful. ”

“ Stanley Hubbard to have secured them. But the strange thing was that Lady Willie Onslow still bore her well-known smile of dainty malice.
Lady Hardacre, sweeping towards her hostess in diamanté draperies of cloudy black tulle, might have posed to an artist for the Goddess of Night. She was tall and dark, smiling and splendid. Everything about her glittered: the life-sized diamond swallow in her dusky, rippling hair; her great brown topaz eyes; her while teeth, between the scarlet lips of a mouth over large for perfect beauty, but ideal for expression ”

“ Hardacre's civilian clothing followed; and then Pearl took up the khaki jacket. As she did so a curious pang shot through her, keen and thin as a needle's point.
"He wore this in battle," the girl said to herself. "Could a woman who loved a man give away such a thing? If I——no, I couldn't do it! Anything else should go sooner."
She fumbled in the pockets, as in duty bound. There was a half-used package of cigarettes in one, which would have seemed rather pathetic if she had been fond of Lord Hardacre; but Pearl had not been able to love her brother-in-law. ”

“ A man in his position must think of big issues; he must even do evil—if you like to call it so—that good may come. To revive the scandal now, when it is dying out, would not help Dick Falconer much and it would ruin us for ever."
"It would restore Dick's reputation. It isn't too late for that."
"His reputation is a thousand times less important—now—than Bernard's for England's sake—for mine. You must see that, Pearl. Between two evils you must choose the less. I have lived through this and I have suffered, too; but always I said to myself, 'The despatch doesn't exist. ”

“ This direct challenge Diana Hardacre received like the woman of the world that she was, though she was in a mood to slaughter the widow of Stanley Hubbard and not count it murder. She smiled a non-committal smile, murmured a few vaguely-agreeable, vaguely-audible words, and asked her husband a question which drew him instantly into a conversation with herself and Prince Roberto of Pisa. A Liberal peer and his wife, who called herself an Anarchist, spoke to Falconer, and dinner was announced. ”

“ A thousand times more than to a strong nature like yours, Dick. You've passed the worst of it. Will you go on bearing the burden, to save me from death and worse, now that it has been put in your power to throw it off? ”

“ Surely you know about the row between Hardacre and Falconer? I thought everybody did, except Mother Hubbard. She never reads anything in the papers—except the society news, as she calls it. She never knows what is going on except marriages, or what is coming off except divorces and last year's hats. She told me, all puffed up with pride like a pouter pigeon, that the Hardacres were coming; and only a day or two ago my dear Anarchist cousin happened to mention that she and Lord Exmouth had persuaded Falconer to accept, lest people should say he was ashamed to be seen about. ”

“ But the child has no real part in the game, though they do say she has been in love with Falconer ever since she was eight or ten years old, and he used to take Pearl on his knee, tell her stories, and bring her sweets or toys, to please Diana. A quiet, shy little thing it is, like some small creature of the woods. I was surprised to see how she came out at the critical moment. I never heard her say so many consecutive words before in company. Look at her now, sitting next to him. She's dumb as a little doll. The girl lives with the Hardacres, and Di is trying to marry her off to Tom Hubbard. ”

“ She went back to her room, consulted the mirror, saw that her pallor took nothing from her beauty, rejoiced for a quick instant that she was one of the chosen women before whom men are as children, put on again her cloak of yellow and gold, and let herself softly out into the street. ”

“ The girl had very little money, but she was related to half the aristocracy in England, and a connection by marriage with Lady Hardacre would be as good a thing as could happen to a rich new-comer. Mrs. Hubbard had gleaned a vast deal of such valuable knowledge as this under Lady Willie's tutelage, and was proud of her 'cuteness in having invited the little brown Pearl to-night. Altogether, the Bread Trust millionairess was well pleased with herself, and was chuckling inwardly at what must be Lady Willie's chagrin at her unassisted success, when another announcement was made. ”

“ She has succeeded in reaching the top round of the ladder."
"Does she love Hardacre?"
Lady Willie laughed. "She loves success. But isn't it amusing? Isn't it too delicious, Mother Hubbard having them all here?"
"Anything is delicious when one is near you," said Prince Roberto.
Lord and Lady Hardacre, with the latter's sister, were the first to break up the party, which, despite valiant efforts made by some of the members, had been a dismal failure. The Hardacres were going on to a political reception, and dropped the young girl on the way at their own house in Berkeley Square. ”

“ Bernard did give the order and did receive General Falconer's despatch, which he said that he had never had. I have found it."
Diana grew pale. In an instant she looked years older. All the hardness of her handsome face, veiled at most times by the dazzle of her smile, was nakedly accentuated. "I suppose," she said, "that Dick Falconer showed something to you which he made you believe was the despatch. Of course, it is a forgery."
Pearl's eyes blazed. "He doesn't even know it exists. But he shall know. Would Bernard have carried about a forgery in his pocket?" ”

“ Di Hardacre and I have never interfered with each other; that is, neither of us has wanted any of the other's men. She was the most ambitious girl I ever knew—and the hardest. But one should always be nice to girls, because one doesn't know whom they may marry ”