‘I knew my husband had threatened it, but we’d neither of us noticed anything.’
‘About leaving your husband, Lady Corven; any reason you’d care to give me?’
Clare shook her head.
‘I’m not going into my life with him, either here or anywhere. And I’m not going back to him.’
‘Incompatibility, or worse?’
‘I think worse.’
‘But no definite charge. You realize the importance?’
‘Yes. But I’m not going into it, even privately.’
Young Croom burst out: ‘He was a brute to her, of course.’
‘You knew him, Mr Croom?’
‘Never seen him in my life.’
‘Then –’
‘He just thinks it because I left Jerry suddenly. He knows nothing.’
Dinny saw ‘very young’ Roger’s eyes rest on herself. ‘But you do,’ they seemed to say; and she thought: ‘He’s no fool!’
He had returned from the fireplace, walking with a slight limp; sitting down again, he took up the document, narrowed his eyes, and said:
‘This isn’t the sort of evidence the Court likes; in fact I’m not sure it’s evidence at all. All the same it’s not a very bright prospect. If you could show strong cause for leaving your husband, and we could get over that night in the car –’ He looked, bird-like, first at Clare and then at young Croom. ‘Still, you can’t let damages and costs like that go by default, when – er – you’ve done nothing.’ His eyes fell; and Dinny thought:
‘Not conspicuous – his credulity!’
‘Very young’ Roger lifted a paper-knife.
‘We might possibly get the damages agreed at a comparatively nominal sum, if you put in a defence and then didn’t appear. May I ask your monetary position, Mr Croom?’
‘I haven’t a bean, but that doesn’t matter.’
‘What exactly will “defending” mean?’ asked Clare.
‘You’d both go into the box and deny the charges. You’d be cross-examined, and we should cross-examine the petitioner and the inquiry agents. Candidly, unless you can give good reason for having left your husband, you’re almost bound to have the judge against you. And,’ he added, in a somewhat human manner, ‘a night is a night, especially to the divorce court, even in a car; though, as I say, it’s not the sort of evidence generally required.’
‘My Uncle thinks,’ said Dinny quietly, ‘that some of the jury, at all events, might believe them, and that the damages, in any case, would be reduced.’
‘Very young’ Roger nodded.
‘We’ll see what Mr Kingson says. I should like to see your father and Sir Lawrence again.’
Dinny went to the door and held it open for her sister and young Croom. Glancing back she saw ‘very young’ Roger’s face. It was as if someone had asked him not to be a realist. He caught her eye, gave a funny little cock of his head, and took out his snuff-box. She shut the door and went up to him.
‘You’ll make a mistake if you don’t believe them. They’re speaking the absolute truth.’
‘Why did she leave her husband, Miss Cherrell?’
‘If she won’t tell you, I can’t. But I’m sure she was right.’
He considered her for a moment with that sharp glance.
‘Somehow,’ he said suddenly, ‘I wish it were you.’ And, taking snuff, he turned to the General and Sir Lawrence.
‘Well?’ said the General.
‘Very young’ Roger looked suddenly more sandy.
‘If she had good reason for leaving her husband –’
‘She had.’
‘Father!’
‘It appears she isn’t prepared to speak of it.’
‘Nor should I be,’ said Dinny quietly.
‘Very young’ Roger murmured: ‘It might make all the difference, though.’
‘Serious thing for young Croom, Mr Forsyte,’ put in Sir Lawrence.
‘Serious, whether they defend or not, Sir Lawrence. I’d better see them both separately. Then I’ll get Mr Kingson’s view, and let you know tomorrow. Will that do, General?’
‘It revolts me,’ said the General, ‘to think of that fellow Corven!’
‘Quite!’ said ‘very young’ Roger, and Dinny thought she had never heard a more doubtful sound.
Chapter Twenty-three
DINNY sat in the little bare waiting-room turning over The Times. Young Croom stood at the window.
‘Dinny,’ he said, turning, ‘can you think of any way in which I can make this less beastly for her? It’s all my fault in a sense, but I have tried to keep myself in hand.’