Night Over Water - Ken Follett [168]
“It makes no difference. You’ll know that when you’re married.”
Margaret felt cornered. “It’s not fair.”
“It’s not for long. I’m just asking you to tolerate him a little while longer. As soon as you’re twenty-one he’ll be different, I promise you, even if you’re not married. I know it’s hard. But I don’t want you to be banished, like poor Elizabeth....”
Margaret realized that she would be as upset as Mother if they became estranged. “I don’t want that either, Mother,” she said. She took a step closer to the stool. Mother opened her arms. They embraced awkwardly, Margaret standing and Mother sitting.
“Promise me you won’t quarrel with him,” Mother said.
She sounded so sad that Margaret wanted with all her heart to give the promise; but something held held back, and all she would say was: “I’ll try, Mother. I really will.”
Mother let her go and looked at her, and Margaret read bleak resignation in her face. “Thank you for that, anyway,” Mother said.
There was nothing more to say.
Margaret went out.
Harry stood up when she entered the compartment. She felt so upset that she completely lost all sense of propriety and threw her arms around him. After a moment’s startled hesitation he hugged her and kissed the top of her head. She began to feel better right away.
Opening her eyes, she caught an astonished look from Mr. Membury, who was back in his seat. She hardly cared, but she detached herself from Harry and they sat down on the other side of the compartment.
“We’ve got to make plans,” Harry said. “This could be our last chance to talk privately.”
Margaret realized that Mother would be back soon, and Father and Percy would return with the other passengers, and after that she and Harry might not be alone again. She was seized by a near-panic as she saw a vision of the two of them parting company at Port Washington and never finding one another again. “Where can I contact you—tell me quick!” she said.
“I don’t know—I haven’t fixed anything. But don’t worry. I’ll get in touch with you. What hotel will you be staying at?”
“The Waldorf. Will you telephone me tonight? You must!”
“Calm down. Of course I will. I’ll call myself Mr. Marks.”
Harry’s relaxed tone made Margaret realize she was being silly ... and a little selfish, too. She should think of him as well as herself. “Where will you spend the night?”
“I’ll find a cheap hotel.”
She was struck by an idea. “Would you like to sneak into my room at the Waldorf?”
He grinned. “Are you serious? You know I would!”
She was happy to have pleased him. “Normally I’d share with my sister, but now I’ll be on my own.”
“Oh, boy. I can’t wait.”
She knew how he loved the high life, and she so wanted to make him happy. What else would he like? “We’ll order scrambled eggs and champagne from room service.”
“I’ll want to stay there forever.”
That brought her back to reality. “My parents will be moving to my grandfather’s place in Connecticut after a few days. Then I’ll have to find somewhere to to live.”
‘We’ll look together,” he said. “Maybe get rooms in the same building, or something.”
“Really?” She was thrilled. They would have rooms in the same building! It was exactly what she wanted. She had been half afraid that he would go over the top and ask her to marry him, and half afraid he would not want to see her again; but this was ideal: she could stay close to him and get to know him better without making a foolishly hasty commitment. And she would be able to sleep with him. But there was a snag. “If I work for Nancy Lenehan, I’ll be in Boston.”
“Maybe I’ll go to Boston too.”
“Would you?” She could hardly believe what she was hearing.
“It’s as good a place as any. Where is it, anyway?”
“New England.”
“Is that like old England?”
“Well, I’ve heard that the people are snobbish.”
“It’ll be just like home.”
“What sort of rooms will we get?” she said excitedly. “I mean, how many, and so on?”
He smiled. “You won’t have more than one room, and you’ll find it a struggle to pay even for that. If it’s anything like the English equivalent, it will have