He roused himself .sx " We've got an hour or so .sx Some lovers have had less than that together .sx What's-his-name and Heloise , poor devils , what did they have ?sx Kiss me before the clock ticks again .sx .. " .sx Sheila would have been later than ever that evening if she had not taken a taxi the whole way home .sx Marston went with her and said good-bye to her quite recklessly at the smug corner of Corunna Road .sx About a week later he wrote to her from Northumberland .sx He had booked two passages on a liner which was sailing from Southampton for America during the next week .sx He gave her the time of his train from London and begged her to go up to Victoria to see him off .sx She wrote back to him no more than that she would be there .sx The morning , when it came , was wet and dark .sx The rain poured ceaselessly on the heavy August leaves .sx Sheila was late in starting because Douglas , while he was dressing , had noticed that the gutter beneath his window was choked with leaves :sx and before he set off for the office had insisted on thoroughly cleaning it out with the butt end of Torquil's shrimping net .sx When she reached Victoria , she felt hot , damp and flustered .sx The platform was crowded .sx She walked up and down it .sx She could not see Marston anywhere .sx At last she felt a touch on her shoulder .sx " Oh , Robert !sx I've been looking for you for ages .sx " " Oh , Sheila !sx I've been looking for you .sx Have we wasted much time ?sx I was down by the barrier .sx " " I went there .sx But I went up to the front , mostly .sx Douglas always goes in the front of trains .sx " " Well , we're found now .sx Look , this is for you .sx " He handed her a bunch of pink carnations .sx " I didn't want to give you anything that would last , you see .sx When these die and you throw them away , then you needn't think of me any more .sx " " But it's going to be so ghastly dull without you , Robert .sx My only amusement will be thinking of you .sx " " You mustn't be dull , " he told her .sx " You must find another dancing partner , some cold-blooded fish of a fellow who won't go off the deep-end like I did .sx It was a marvellous time we had , Sheila .sx We loved dancing together , didn't we ?sx There will be other times , but never one quite like it .sx Look here , come and see my mother .sx Then I shall be able to talk about you in the train .sx " He led her up to a third-class carriage in a corner of which an old woman dressed in a black bonnet , a beaded mantle and black cotton gloves , sat holding a large bunch of parma violets and a copy of The Sporting and Dramatic in incongruous hands .sx " Mother , this is one of Mr. Clavering's daughters , " he said .sx With a broad Northumbrian accent , Mrs. Marston thanked Sheila for her father's kindness in " standing by our Bob .sx " Sheila stammered that her father had thought so much of him and would miss him when he was gone .sx Mrs. Marston turned incredulous eyes upon her youngest son .sx Doors were banging .sx Mrs. Marston began to show signs of the inevitable feminine horror that the train will start and the travelling companion he left behind .sx When Mrs. James Toye did this , Douglas always laughed at her and went away and stood by the bookstall to show her how absurd she was .sx Marston , however , took a firm hand-hold on the doorway and demonstrated how , when the whistle blew , he would swing himself in .sx The whistle blew .sx He did not swing himself in until he had stooped and kissed Sheila :sx and all that she saw as the train moved past her , was the astounded expression of his mother's face .sx Sheila went away down the long , wet platform and across the station to the Underground .sx She was suddenly aware that her feet were wet , that she was thirty-three , and that she had forgotten on the way up to call in at the butcher's and order two pennyworth of bones .sx CHAPTER XIV .sx THE last three months of the year nineteen-hundred and twenty-three were significant ones for Douglas Toye .sx Broken by the shock of Capes's defalcation , Proctor Toye retired from business in September , and James , on the advice of his doctor , before the New Year .sx Alfred Higham and Douglas were now the only partners , and Alfred Higham announced his intention of retiring within the next twelve months .sx Douglas's income was doubled .sx Though his father and uncle still drew on the profits of the business , a large proportion of their salaries as managing partners now came to him :sx and with the turn of the year the railing of the front garden at " Lamorna " was lavishly hung with the boards of decorators , electricians and sanitary engineers .sx When , at the end of six months , Douglas saw where he stood , he at last consented to buy a car .sx He learned to drive it , and then he taught Sheila , though he hated women drivers and had already written to the newspapers protesting against their behaviour on the roads .sx He taught Sheila so thoroughly that he .sx destroyed every vestige of her never-robust self-confidence .sx Then he decided that she depended too much on him and that it was time she went out alone .sx The day came , therefore , when Sheila drove up to London to meet Douglas at the Temple Station and drive him home .sx It was a very hot afternoon in July , and , as she turned into the Park , her thoughts went hack through the year to those other summer afternoons the memory of which had as yet lost nothing of its intensity of painful joy .sx The sight of a man standing on the footpath and waving his stick at her , brought her with a shock into the present again .sx She drew up a little beyond him and nervously turned round .sx Bill Lathom walked up to her .sx " Oh , Bill !sx " said Sheila .sx " I thought you were a plain-clothes policeman and that I was doing something wrong .sx Are you busy , Bill darling ?sx If you're not , will you drive this beastly contraption to the Temple Station for me ?sx " .sx " I should love to do anything for you , Sheila .sx Get over and let me get in .sx " They adjusted the driving-seat .sx Bill Lathom got in .sx They sped away .sx " I haven't seen you for something like a year , Sheila .sx The last time you were dancing at Claridge's with that nice fellow What's-his-name .sx What have you done with him ?sx " .sx " Oh , he's gone .sx " Gone ?sx Lucky devil .sx Out of it " " Oh , no , not like that .sx To America .sx " " Really ?sx What for ?sx " .sx " Oh , just to live .sx " " Hmm .sx Well , I've gone too .sx " " What do you mean , Bill ?sx " .sx " Haven't you heard ?sx I'm married .sx " " Oh !sx " said Sheila ; and then rather faintly , " Congratulations , Bill .sx " " Thank you , Sheila .sx You're more polite than my father was when I told him this afternoon .sx " " Wasn't he pleased ?sx " .sx " No .sx " " Beast .sx Why not ?sx Have you been married long ?sx " .sx " I'm just back from my honeymoon , " said Bill gaily .sx " We spent it at Le Touquet , wasn't that fun ?sx Father has got a silly prejudice against Chrissie because the only time he saw her she was in the second line of the chorus and he admired her legs .sx Half-past five .sx He's on his way to his lawyers now to cut me off with a bob .sx " " How idiotic .sx If you like her , why shouldn't you marry her ?sx " .sx " She is all to me that Dorian never was , " said Bill .sx Sheila considered that .sx " Does Dorian know you're married ?sx " she asked him presently .sx They were turning out of the Park .sx Bill changed down .sx " Does Dorian know ?sx " he repeated .sx " She does , damn her .sx And she has sent me a present .sx A bloody dinner service .sx " " What's the matter , Bill ?sx " .sx " Nothing .sx I'm married and my old friend , Miss Clavering , has sent me a handsome present .sx ` God's in His heaven , all's well with the world .sx ' Mr. Browning wrote that .sx " " I know .sx I wonder why ?sx " .sx " He didn't know Dorian , " suggested Bill .sx " No , you don't , sir .sx No cutting in in front of me .sx " " Oh , Bill , do be careful of Douglas's wings .sx Where are you living now ?sx " .sx " We only got back yesterday .sx We're staying at the Langham .sx To-morrow with as little acrimony as possible , we shall remove to lodgings in Bloomsbury .sx As well as cutting me off , Father has stopped my allowance .sx " " Oh , Lord !sx You've still got your job though .sx " " Yes .sx I wring about three pounds weekly from the motor trade .sx Fun for Chrissie , isn't it ?sx Poor darling , she thought she was marrying castles and coronets .sx I expect it will be in the papers to-morrow , Peer cuts off Son with Shilling , and then the vultures will begin to gather round .sx " " Well , don't make it worse by being taken up for speeding in Constitutional Hill .sx Borrow some money from Daddy until your father cheers up .sx " " He never will .sx He's too damned obstinate , all the Lathoms are .sx I get my beautiful nature from my mother who was one of the Mad Cordelles .sx But the money's only a detail compared to the rest of it .sx Northumberland Avenue , I think .sx We'll avoid the Strand .sx " " Well , stop before the station , " said Sheila .sx " Then I'll drive boldly up .sx " Bill nodded .sx " I'll stop along by the Savoy .sx I'm glad I met you , Sheila .sx It's made all the difference having someone to grouse at before I break it to Chrissie .sx I'm marvellously unhappy , aren't you ?sx " .sx " I am .sx You hadn't a chance with Dorian .sx But I turned down America of my own accord .sx " " Little che-ildren and all that , I suppose ?sx " said Bill .sx " Well , there remain the pleasures of the table .sx Let's go in for a cocktail at the Savoy .sx " " I can't .sx Douglas is probably waiting .sx Besides , it gives me a pain to look at the Savoy .sx " Bill drew up by the kerb , got out and readjusted the seat .sx " Good-bye , Sheila darling .sx Ring me up if you want to be driven across London again .sx " When Sheila reached the Temple Station , Douglas was waiting there .sx " You're a bit late , " he said .sx " I met Bill , " explained Sheila .sx " He has married a second line chorus girl and he had a lot to say .sx " " Fancy !sx " said Douglas .sx " What an extraordinary thing for a man of Lathom's age to do .sx I thought you always said that he wanted to marry Dorian .sx " " So he did .sx " " Well , not very seriously , " Douglas decided .sx " Or he would not have married this other girl .sx Ugh !sx Sheila !sx What a jerk !sx Gently when you let in the clutch .sx .. " .sx A few days later , Sheila had tea with her father .sx They spoke chiefly of Torquil .sx For a long time Andrew Clavering had cherished the idea of sending his only grandson to Eton and Magdalen , and Douglas had felt too relieved that someone was prepared to pay the piper , to raise any objection to the tune .sx Things were different now .sx With the improvement in his financial position , Douglas's loyalty to his own school asserted itself , the Arnold tradition was rekindled in his breast .sx What had been good enough for Torquil's father was good enough for Torquil .sx He should go to Rugby and into the business at eighteen .sx Andrew Clavering was furious .sx This proved to be one of the few matters very near his heart .sx He had felt the want of a son in his life , and he had taken to Torquil :sx he was determined that to his beloved Eton and scarcely less beloved Oxford this heir of his should go .sx To-day he was in one of his impish moods , and a plot was hatched .sx Torquil should settle the matter himself with an Eton scholarship .sx Douglas had formed a very low opinion of his son's abilities .sx At eight years old , Torquil was untidy , grubby , absent-minded , always near the bottom of his form .sx He wrote with extraordinary labour , covered himself with ink , seldom collected his thoughts in time to answer the most elementary question which came his way .sx He had , however , a quality of mind which Douglas did not possess the power to discover , a range of thought already far in excess of Douglas's own .sx