'You know Marion and I were at school together.
You would never think it to look at us now, would you?
But of course I've lived a very quiet life.'
I do not know what she meant by these remarks; it was almost incredible that she made them in complete simplicity; but anyhow they goaded Mrs Tower to such a fury that she flung her own vanity to the winds.
She smiled brightly.
'We shall neither of us see fifty again, Jane,' she said.
If the observation was meant to discomfit the widow it failed.
'Gilbert says I mustn't acknowledge to more than forty-nine for his sake,' she answered blandly.
Mrs Tower's hands trembled slightly, but she found a retort.
'There is of course a certain disparity of age between you,' she smiled.
'Twenty-seven years,' said Jane.
'Do you think it's too much?
Gilbert says I'm very young for my age.
I told you I shouldn't like to marry a man with one foot in the grave.'
I was really obliged to laugh and Gilbert laughed too.
His laughter was frank and boyish.
It looked as though he were amused at everything Jane said.
But Mrs Tower was almost at the end of her tether and I was afraid that unless relief came she would for once forget that she was a woman of the world.
I came to the rescue as best I could.
'I suppose you're very busy buying your trousseau,' I said.
'No.
I wanted to get my things from the dressmaker in Liverpool I've been to ever since I was first married.
But Gilbert won't let me.
He's very masterful, and of course he has wonderful taste.'
She looked at him with a little affectionate smile, demurely, as though she were a girl of seventeen.
Mrs Tower went quite pale under her make-up.
'We're going to Italy for our honeymoon.
Gilbert has never had a chance of studying Renaissance architecture and of course it's important for an architect to see things for himself.
And we shall stop in Paris on the way and get my clothes there.'
'Do you expect to be away long?'
'Gilbert has arranged with his office to stay away for six months.
It will be such a treat for him, won't it?
You see, he's never had more than a fortnight's holiday before.'
'Why not?' asked Mrs Tower in a tone that no effort of will could prevent from being icy.
'He's never been able to afford it, poor dear.'
'Ah!' said Mrs Tower, and into the exclamation put volumes.
Coffee was served and the ladies went upstairs.
Gilbert and I began to talk in the desultory way in which men talk who have nothing whatever to say to one another; but in two minutes a note was brought in to me by the butler.
It was from Mrs Tower and ran as follows:
'Come upstairs quickly and then go as soon as you can.
Take him with you.
Unless I have it out with Jane at once I shall have a fit.'
I told a facile lie.
'Mrs Tower has a headache and wants to go to bed.
I think if you don't mind we'd better clear out.'
'Certainly,' he answered.
We went upstairs and five minutes later were on the doorstep.
I called a taxi and offered the young man a lift.
'No thanks,' he answered.
'I'll just walk to the corner and jump on a bus.'