told him he was "irresponsible,"
jestingly calling him "her son," and now after his death, was she to
add a further injustice and become unfaithful to his memory--the memory
of her boy, who would never return?

Sharp, burning tears oozed up painfully between her eyelids. She tried
to pray, and into her whole being came a profound silent sense of
self-abasement, absorbing her as if it were a prayer.

CHAPTER XI

NO ESCAPE

Lady Dashwood sat on in the drawing-room. Now that she was alone it was
not necessary to keep up the show of reading a book. She put it down on
a table close at hand and gave herself up to thought.

But what was the good of plans--until Jim came back? The first thing was
to find out whether the engagement was a fact and not an invention of
Belinda's. Then if it was a fact, whether Jim really wanted to marry
Gwendolen? If he did want to, plans might be very difficult to make, and
there was little time, with Belinda clamouring to come and play the
mother-in-law. The vulture was already hovering with the scent of battle
in its nostrils.

Then, on the other hand, supposing Jim didn't want to marry Gwen, but
had only been run into it--somehow--before he had had time to see May
Dashwood, then plans might be easier. But in any case there were almost
overwhelming difficulties in the way of "doing anything." It was easy to
say that she would never allow the marriage to take place, but how was
she to prevent it?

"I must prevent it," she murmured to herself. "Must!"

What still amazed and confounded Lady Dashwood and made her helpless
was: why her brother showed such obvious interest--more than mere
interest--in May Dashwood, if he was in love with Gwendolen Scott and
secretly pledged to her? Jim playing the ordinary flirt was unthinkable.
It did look as if he had proposed in some impulsive moment, before May
arrived, and then---- Why, that was why he had not announced his
engagement! Was he playing a double game? No, it was unthinkable that he
should not be absolutely straight. Gwendolen had somehow entangled him.
The very thought of it made Lady Dashwood get up from her chair and move
about restlessly. Then an idea struck her. Jim coveted Gwendolen for her
youth and freshness and only admired May! Yes, only admired her, and
regarding her as still mourning for her young husband, still
inconsolable, he had treated her with frankness and had shown his
admiration without the restraint that he wou