Read Online The Two Mrs. Abbotts by D. E. Stevenson - Free Book Online Page A

her?”
    â€œYes,” said Lancreste.
    â€œHow did you get on?” asked Barbara in encouraging tones.
    Lancreste was silent.
    â€œDid you talk to her about her books?” asked Barbara, pursuing the subject for the sole reason that she could think of nothing else to say.
    â€œAsh did,” said Lancreste in a husky sort of voice.
    â€œAsh?”
    â€œHe was there too. I asked him.”
    â€œOh, I see! You asked a friend to help you. That was a splendid idea.”
    Lancreste said nothing.
    â€œA splendid idea,” repeated Barbara desperately. “I’m sure you must have entertained Miss Walters beautifully—you and your friend.”
    Lancreste was completely dumb. He was staring at his boots as if he had never seen them before and did not like the look of them.
    Oh dear, I wish Sarah was here, thought Barbara. Aloud she said politely, “How is your mother, Lancreste?”
    â€œShe’s all right,” said Lancreste.
    â€œSplendid,” said Barbara. “I’m so glad…and your father?”
    â€œHe’s all right.”
    Barbara was about to express her delight at this excellent piece of news when Lancreste suddenly came to life.
    â€œPearl’s ill,” he said.
    â€œOh dear!” exclaimed Barbara, changing her expression rapidly to suit the case. “Oh dear, what a pity!”
    â€œIt’s frightful,” declared Lancreste. “It isn’t only her being ill, though that’s bad enough. Everything has gone wrong. You liked her, didn’t you?”
    â€œI only saw her for a few moments,” Barbara reminded him.
    â€œBut you liked her—I could see that at once. Mother doesn’t like her.”
    Barbara was not as surprised as Lancreste seemed to expect. She murmured, “What a pity!” and left it at that.
    â€œAnd Father doesn’t like her either.”
    â€œDoesn’t he?”
    â€œNo, he was frightfully rude to her,” said Lancreste miserably.
    Barbara was just going to say what a pity, but she remembered she had said that before so she said, “How very unfortunate!”
    â€œBut I can’t help that,” declared Lancreste. “I mean I can’t help whether they like her or not, I’m going to marry her.”
    â€œBut Lancreste.”
    â€œI must marry her,” said Lancreste more miserably still. “There’s nothing else for it. I suppose once we’re married she’ll be different.”
    â€œDifferent!” echoed Barbara, for she could not understand the matter at all. If Lancreste did not think Miss Besserton quite perfect why did he want to marry her?
    â€œOnce we’re married she’ll settle down, won’t she?” said Lancreste hopefully.
    â€œSettle down!”
    â€œAnd I won’t love her so much.”
    â€œYou won’t love her so much,” repeated Barbara in amazement. She knew she was behaving like a parrot but she could not help it—and Lancreste was too upset to notice.
    â€œI know it sounds odd,” admitted Lancreste, “but as a matter of fact I couldn’t go on loving Pearl like I do now. I’m miserable when I’m with her and I’m miserable when I’m away from her. I’m miserable all the time. I’m sure I shall go mad. I’m mad now, of course. It’s mad to come and talk to you like this but there’s nobody else. Nobody understands or cares.”
    â€œOh, Lancreste.”
    â€œNobody,” repeated Lancreste. “Nobody cares a hoot. Even Pearl doesn’t care. She thinks I’m silly—I expect she’s right but I can’t help it. Perhaps we’d get on better if we were married.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” said Barbara.
    Lancreste paid no attention. “She says she’ll marry me if I like,” he declared. “At least that’s what she said this morning. She may have changed her mind again by