The Angel in the Corner - Monica Dickens [28]
‘You should be able to understand them surely, if anyone can.’
‘I can understand patients all right.’ He tossed the word aside, as if it signified a lesser breed. ‘I mean, the women you know. The ones you fall in love with. They’re quite something else.’
He turned on the sofa and looked at Virginia sitting next to him, nursing her cool glass.
‘You’re very attractive, Virginia,’ he said gravely. ‘Even in that black dress, and sitting still, you manage to give the impression of colour and movement.’
He said this deliberately and with difficulty, as if he were not in the habit of paying compliments to women, and was more at ease talking to them about their internal than their external appearance.
‘Felix,’ Virginia said, ‘I have to ask you this before we go any farther. Did you take my mother out on Monday night?’
‘Monday?’ he said. ‘Let’s see … Monday. Heavens, no. I was catching up on a back-log of hysterectomies until after ten o’clock.’
‘Or any other night?’
‘What an odd idea. Your mother would never come out with me. I imagine she can get a far more exciting escort any time she wants.’
‘That’s not the point. Would you ever ask her?’ Virginia had to plough on now that she had started.
‘I don’t see why you and I shouldn’t take her out sometimes if she wanted to come,’ he said, puzzled by Virginia’s earnestness. ‘Of course I wouldn’t ask her out alone. I mean, not unless it was sort of – well, in a family way. Hell, I’m going to say something rash. Don’t pay any attention. I mean, if she was my mother-in-law.’
He looked so scared when he had said this that Virginia burst out laughing. ‘Who could help paying attention if you suddenly say a thing like that?’
‘It sounded like a leading remark. It wasn’t meant to. My God, I’ve only met you a few times. You must think I’m insane. Forget it. I didn’t mean it.’
‘That makes it much better, of course.’ Virginia looked away.
‘No – I mean, dash it, look here, Virginia –’ Felix was pitiably confused. ‘After all, people don’t say things like that when they hardly know a girl. I mean, not people like me.’ The charming, crooked smiles were all gone from his face. He looked defeated, as if he had abandoned whatever campaign he had in mind before it was even started.
Conversation foundered. Neither of them knew how to get back to friendly talk. Irritated by Felix’s clumsy approach and retreat, Virginia hoped that he would soon go away. Now that she knew that she and not her mother was the object of his nervous pursuit, she was not sure that she wanted him to catch up with her.
‘I’m sorry,’ Felix said, sensing her sudden boredom. ‘I talked like a fool. Forgive me.’
‘Oh, don’t be so humble.’ Virginia stood up and walked away from him. ‘I’m not surprised that girl broke off the engagement if you went about apologizing for everything you said before you even said it. No, that was mean. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.’
‘It’s all right,’ Felix said, without rancour. ‘That was one of her grievances, as a matter of fact.’ He stood up. ‘I’d better go. I haven’t said what I came to say, though.’ He picked up the black homburg hat and turned the brim round and round in his fingers. ‘I wondered if you would care to come home with me for dinner on New Year’s Eve. My parents are having a small party. Only family.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Virginia said. ‘I promised to take Helen out to dinner that night.’
‘Oh.’ Felix looked at his burnished shoes. ‘In that case, well – oh, well, I’d better be going.’ He opened the door of the flat and lingered for a moment wistfully on the top stair. ‘I’ll see you soon, I hope,’ he said.
‘Oh, yes,’ Virginia said. ‘I hope so,’ and brightened her smile to make her words sound less half-hearted.
*
‘You can go in, Jinny,’ Grace said, putting down the telephone. ‘Your mother has an American gentleman in there, but she said it was all right for you to go in. In fact,’ Grace raised her neat eyebrows a fraction, ‘she seemed very glad to know you were here.’
Virginia went into the throne-room, where her mother was talking