The Imaginary Marriage | Page 3

out
for me, none. If only--only you were married; that is the only thing that
would have saved me!"
"But I'm not!"
She sighed. "If only you were, if only you could say to her, 'I can't ask

Marjorie to marry me, because I am already married!' It sounds rubbish,
doesn't it, Hugh; but if it were only true!"
"Supposing--I did say it?"
"Oh, Hugh, but--" She looked up at him quickly. "But it would be a
lie!"
"I know, but lies aren't always the awful things they are supposed to
be--if one told a lie to help a friend, for instance, such a lie might be
forgiven, eh?"
"But--" She was trembling; she looked eagerly into his eyes, into her
cheeks had come a flush, into her eyes the brightness of a new, though
as yet vague, hope. "It--it sounds so impossible!"
"Nothing is actually impossible. Listen, little maid. She sent me here to
you to talk sense, as she put it. That meant she sent me here to ask you
to marry me, and I meant to do it. I think perhaps you know why"--he
lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it--"but I shan't now, I never shall.
Little girl, we're going to be what we've always been, the best and
truest of friends, and I've got to find a way to help you and Tom--"
"Hugh, if you told her that you were married, and not free, she wouldn't
give another thought to opposing Tom and me--it is only because she
wants me to marry you that she opposes Tom! Oh, Hugh, if--if--if you
could, if it were possible!" She was trembling with excitement, and the
sweet colour was coming and going in her cheeks.
"Supposing I did it?" he said, and spoke his thoughts aloud. "Of course
it would be a shock to her, perhaps she wouldn't believe!"
"She would believe anything you said..."
"It is rather a rotten thing to do," he thought, "yet...." He looked at the
bright, eager face, it would make her happy; he knew that what she said
was true--Lady Linden would not oppose Tom Arundel if marriage
between Marjorie and himself was out of the question. It would be

making the way clear for her: it would be giving her happiness, doing
her the greatest service that he could. Of his own sacrifice, his own
disappointment he thought not now; realisation of that would come
later.
At first it seemed to him a mad, a nonsensical scheme, yet it was one
that might so easily be carried out. If one doubt was left as to whether
he would do it, it was gone the next moment.
"Hugh, would you do--would you do this for me?"
"There is very little that I wouldn't do for you, little maid," he said,
"and if I can help you to your happiness I am going to do it."
She crept closer to him; she laid her cheek against his shoulder, and
held his hand in hers.
"Tell me just what you will say."
"I haven't thought that out yet."
"But you must."
"I know. You see, if I say I am married, naturally she will ask me a few
questions."
"When she gets--gets her breath!" Marjorie said with a laugh; it was the
first time she had laughed, and he liked to hear it.
"The first will probably be, How long have I been married?"
"Do you remember you used to come to Marlbury to see me when I
was at school at Miss Skinner's?"
"Rather!"
"That was three years ago. Supposing you married about then?"
"Fine," Hugh said. "I married three years ago. What month?"

"June," she said; "it's a lovely month!"
"I was married in June, nineteen hundred and eighteen, my lady," said
Hugh. "Where at, though?"
"Why, Marlbury, of course!"
"Of course! Splendid place to get married in, delightful romantic old
town!"
"It is a hateful place, but that doesn't matter," said Marjorie. She
seemed to snuggle up a little closer to him, her lips were rippling with
smiles, her bright eyes saw freedom and love, her heart was very warm
with gratitude to this man who was helping her. But she could not
guess, how could she, how in spite of the laughter on his lips there was
a great ache and a feeling of emptiness at his heart.
"So now we have it all complete," he said. "I was married in June,
nineteen eighteen at Marlbury; my wife and I did not get on, we parted.
She had a temper, so had I, a most unhappy affair, and there you are!"
He laughed.
"All save one thing," Marjorie said.
"Goodness, what have I forgotten?"
"Only the lady's name."
"You are right. She must have a name of course, something nice