What a good friend you are, Jock.”
“Oh I'm fond of Brenda … a grand girl.”
“Grand girl … I wish I didn't feel ill.”
Tony was awake at eight next morning, miserably articulating in his mind the fragmentary memories of the preceding night.
The more he remembered, the baser his conduct appeared to him.
At nine he had his bath and some tea.
At ten he was wondering whether he should ring Brenda up when the difficulty was solved by her ringing him.
“Well, Tony, how do you feel?”
“Awful.
I was tight.”
“You were.”
“I'm feeling pretty guilty too.”
“I'm not surprised.”
“I don't remember everything very clearly but I have the impression that Jock and I were rather bores.”
“You were.”
“Are you in a rage?”
“Well, I was last night.
What made you do it, Tony, grown up men like you two?”
“We felt low.”
“I bet you feel lower this morning … A box of white roses has just arrived from Jock.”
“I wish I'd thought of that.”
“You're such infants both of you.”
“You aren't really in a rage?”
“Of course I'm not, darling.
Now just you go straight back to the country.
You'll feel all right again tomorrow.”
“Am I not going to see you?”
“Not today I'm afraid.
I've got lectures all the morning and I'm lunching out.
But I'll be coming down on Friday evening or anyway Saturday morning.”
“I see.
You couldn't possibly chuck lunch or one of the lectures.”
“Not possibly, darling.”
“I see.
You are an angel to be so sweet about last night.”
“Nothing could have been more fortunate,” Brenda said. “If I know Tony he'll be tortured with guilt for weeks to come.
It was maddening last night but it was worth it.
He's put himself so much in the wrong now that he won't dare to feel resentful, let alone say anything, whatever I do. And he hasn't really enjoyed himself at all, the poor sweet, so that's a good thing too.
He had to learn not to make surprise visits.”
“You are one for making people learn things,” said Beaver.
Tony emerged from the 3.18 feeling cold, tired, and heavy with guilt.
John Andrew had come in with the car to meet him.
“Hullo, daddy, had a good time in London?
You didn't mind me coming to the station did you?
I made nanny let me.”
“Very pleased to see you, John.”
“How was mummy?”
“She sounded very well.
I didn't see her.”
“But you said you were going to see her.”