'Of course you mean that you've left Jane.'
'I?
That's the last thing I should ever do.'
'Then why is she divorcing you?'
'She's going to marry Sir Reginald Frobisher as soon as the decree is made absolute.'
Mrs Tower positively screamed.
Then she felt so faint that she had to get her smelling salts.
'After all you've done for her?'
'I've done nothing for her.'
'Do you mean to say you're going to allow yourself to be made use of like that?'
'We arranged before we married that if either of us wanted his liberty the other should put no hindrance in the way.'
'But that was done on your account.
Because you were twenty-seven years younger than she was.'
'Well, it's come in very useful for her,' he answered bitterly.
Mrs Tower expostulated, argued and reasoned; but Gilbert insisted that no rules applied to Jane, and he must do exactly what she wanted.
He left Mrs Tower prostrate.
It relieved her a good deal to give me a full account of this interview.
It pleased her to see that I was as surprised as herself and if I was not so indignant with Jane as she was she ascribed that to the criminal lack of morality incident to my sex.
She was still in a state of extreme agitation when the door was opened and the butler showed in – Jane herself.
She was dressed in black and white as no doubt befitted her slightly ambiguous position, but in a dress so original and fantastic, in a hat so striking, that I positively gasped at the sight of her.
But she was as ever bland and collected.
She came forward to kiss Mrs Tower, but Mrs Tower withdrew herself with icy dignity.
'Gilbert has been here,' she said.
'Yes, I know,' smiled Jane.
'I told him to come and see you.
I'm going to Paris tonight and I want you to be very kind to him while I am away.
I'm afraid just at first he'll be rather lonely and I shall feel more comfortable if I can count on your keeping an eye on him.'
Mrs Tower clasped her hands.
'Gilbert has just told me something that I can hardly bring myself to believe.
He tells me that you're going to divorce him to marry Reginald Frobisher.'
'Don't you remember, before I married Gilbert you advised me to marry a man of my own age.
The admiral is fifty-three.'
'But, Jane, you owe everything to Gilbert,' said Mrs Tower indignantly.
'You wouldn't exist without him.
Without him to design your clothes, you'll be nothing.'
'Oh, he's promised to go on designing my clothes,' Jane answered blandly.
'No woman could want a better husband.
He's always been kindness itself to you.'
'Oh, I know he's been sweet.'
'How can you be so heartless?'
'But I was never in love with Gilbert,' said Jane.
'I always told him that.
I'm beginning to feel the need of the companionship of a man of my own age.
I think I've probably been married to Gilbert long enough.
The young have no conversation.'
She paused a little and gave us both a charming smile.
'Of course I shan't lose sight of Gilbert.
I've arranged that with Reginald.
The admiral has a niece that would just suit him.
As soon as we're married we'll ask them to stay with us at Malta – you know that the admiral is to have the Mediterranean Command – and I shouldn't be at all surprised if they fell in love with one another.'