Page 481 - sons-and-lovers

believe Eve enjoyed it, when she went cowering out of Para-
dise.’
But there was a certain glow and quietness about her that
made him glad. When he was alone in the railway-carriage,
he found himself tumultuously happy, and the people ex-
ceedingly nice, and the night lovely, and everything good.
Mrs. Morel was sitting reading when he got home. Her
health was not good now, and there had come that ivory
pallor into her face which he never noticed, and which af-
terwards he never forgot. She did not mention her own
ill-health to him. After all, she thought, it was not much.
‘You are late!’ she said, looking at him.
His eyes were shining; his face seemed to glow. He smiled
to her.
‘Yes; I’ve been down Clifton Grove with Clara.’
His mother looked at him again.
‘But won’t people talk?’ she said.
‘Why? They know she’s a suffragette, and so on. And
what if they do talk!’
‘Of course, there may be nothing wrong in it,’ said his
mother. ‘But you know what folks are, and if once she gets
talked about—-‘
‘Well, I can’t help it. Their jaw isn’t so almighty impor-
tant, after all.’
‘I think you ought to consider HER.’
‘So I DO! What can people say?—that we take a walk to-
gether. I believe you’re jealous.’
‘You know I should be GLAD if she weren’t a married
woman.’

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