The White Room

Mrs. Fane raised her perfectly marked eyebrows. "Well, what about it, Laura? You know Walter is often away for weeks yachting. Times and seasons make no difference to him, so far as his love of the sea is concerned. Frederick says" – Frederick Mason was her brother-"that Walter is of very little use in the office."

"I wonder he keeps him, then," said Laura.

"There is no question of keeping," replied Mrs. Fane serenely; "you speak of Walter as though he were an office-boy. He is a partner, remember, and I do his business for him."

"I don't quite understand."

"It's very simple, Laura. Walter, as you know, brought very little money into the business. He seems to have spent what he had, or the greater part, in furnishing this house for me."

"It was furnished before you and he became engaged."

"That is true. But I saw what was coming a long time before Walter asked me to be his wife. He hinted that he was furnishing a house here, and how he was spending money on it. I then knew that he intended to make me his wife, and I determined to accept him. Not that I loved him over much," added Mrs. Fane quietly, "but I was anxious to have a say in the business. Frederick is a fool; and unless the business is looked after, it will go to ruin. As the wife of one of the partners, I am able to take a part in the conduct of the business."

"You could have done so without marrying," said Laura.

Mrs. Fane shook her head.

"No. Father left you an income of five hundred a year, but he left me much more, because he knew that I would make good use of it. The money which came to me, and your principal, were not invested in the business. I asked Frederick to let me become his partner. He refused. Then I engaged myself to Walter, who became a partner with my money. Frederick is willing, seeing that Walter is not a good business man, to let me act for my husband. I dare say he could have permitted this without the marriage, but he would not for some reason. However, you know now why I married Walter. Besides, Walter is a fool, and I wished to have a weak husband, so that I might control him."

"Was there no love at all in the marriage?"

"Well, my dear" – Mrs. Fane laughed-"I must confess that Walter is very good-looking, and that I should be jealous of his attention to any other woman. Are you answered?"

"Yes-so far as the love is concerned. But I don't understand how Walter can go abroad and leave the business."

"He is not much use. I can look after it for him, as I have always done. Do you think I should let Walter go away yachting if I did not like a free hand? He is happy on the sea, and I am happy in the counting-house, so all is well. This villa has become objectionable to Walter on account of the murder, so we intend to give it up. Probably we shall move to a French watering-place or to Switzerland. Walter can enjoy himself in his usual way, and I can run over when needful to attend to the business."

"I understand. But if you make your home in Switzerland, you will be far from London. Also, Walter will not be able to yacht."

"True enough. We shall see. I must be near England, so that I can run across rapidly, and Walter must be near the sea, for his beloved boat. If I allow Frederick to conduct the business without help, I am sure he will ruin it and me too."

"I wonder you like Walter to remain away for so long, Julia."

"My dear, I have perfect confidence in him."

"But if you loved him-"

"I would keep him by me. Well, I do love him in a way, though he is too weak to command my respect. But Walter is one of those demonstrative men who are a nuisance to a woman of my temperament. He wants to kiss and caress all day long. I find that trying, so I prefer him to go away occasionally. And now you know what we intend to do, what about yourself?"

"Am I not to go with you?"

"If you like. But you are getting older, and, I must confess, that as you have an income of your own, I think you should have a home."

"I see" – Laura looked directly at her sister-"you wish to get rid of me."

"Oh no," replied Mrs. Fane in quite a conventional way; "you are a very good companion for Walter, and he is fond of you in his weak way. As you don't trouble me, I shall be pleased to have you with us abroad. But I think it right to give you the choice."

"Of going with you as the fifth wheel on the chariot-"

"Or marrying," said Mrs. Fane calmly-"yes. That is what I mean."

"Suppose I do neither. I have my own money. I might go and live with Gerty Baldwin."

"You might," assented the elder sister, "if you like to live in a pig-sty with that lymphatic woman, who is more like a jelly than a human being."

"There's no harm in her," protested Laura.

"Nor is there in a pig. But I don't care to live with a pig. As to Gerty Baldwin, she is a fast young minx, engaged to a vulgarian."

"Mr. Tracey is a kindhearted man."

"But vulgar. And Gerty?"

"The dearest girl in the world."

Mrs. Fane again lifted her eyebrows.

"I confess I don't care for people of that sort."

"Do you care for any one but yourself?" asked Laura bitterly.

"I care for Minnie, and a little for Walter," said Mrs. Fane, "but the ordinary human being does not seem worthy of being liked."

"You condemn the world as though you were its judge and not its denizen," said Laura, with a curled lip and flashing eyes. "Julia, you were always a hard woman. Your nature is like our father's."

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