“That’ll do,” said Rosemary shakily. “Privy scandal’s no good.”
“Rot the scandal,” said Derry. “Besides, I’m naturally virtuous, so if I’m to come off in public I must have a smell at the jumps. Quite apart from that, my darling, it’s making me well. I’ve always found you lovely, and a chance of telling you so is good for my heart. And it ought to be good for yours—unless you hate me.”
“You know I don’t hate you, Derry, but I’m rather bad at games.”
“What good d’you think I am? I’ve never kissed a woman but Jenny since I was wed. The mercy is that, now that we’ve got to play, we’ve drawn each other instead of a couple of souls. It’s not a game that I’d play with everyone.”
“I’m not going to keep Virginia’s saddle dry.”
“Or I Roger’s,” said Derry. “Don’t you believe it, my dear. If I didn’t think I could stand on my own flat feet, I’d get out of this chaise.”
“But it wouldn’t console me at all to throw my arms round your neck. I’m very fond of you, Derry, but Roger’s my man.”
“And Jenny’s my girl,” said Derry. “That’s why I want her back. And I think the way to get her is to show her that she hasn’t got me. Very well, then. I’ve got to find a playmate.”
“That shouldn’t take you long,” said Rosemary Chase. “I could mention——”
“I’ve a weakness,” said Derry Peruke, “for playing the game. I hate making love to a girl with my tongue in my cheek. Yet to explain the position would be to court trouble of the corrosive sort.”
“It’s perfectly obvious,” she said, “that you’ve known me too long. Familiarity has bred a wholesome contempt.”
“One moment,” said Derry calmly. “All I’ve just said about me can be said about you—except that, even if you explained the position to your prey, he wouldn’t retort with vitriol. In fact, you’re so very charming that he’d probably jump at the chance. But that’s beside the point—which is that we each need a playmate by whom we can play the game. Well, our respective spice have fairly slung us into each other’s arms. . . . If you don’t want to play, say the word. But I think it’s a chance. Perhaps I was foolish to say that I loved you, dear, and that, as the game had to be played, I’d be happy to play it with you, but seventeen years of admiration are bound to leave their mark.” Rosemary bowed her head. “With anyone else I’d hate it. In fact, it couldn’t be done. With you—well, it’s very easy, lady, and that’s the truth.” He slid an arm round her waist. “I know I’m in love with Jenny, but when I say that I love you you know it’s true. For one thing, who could help it? Look at your mouth. . . . But it wouldn’t console me to kiss you, if you didn’t—understand. A state of emergency exists, requiring special measures of an abnormal kind. That I find those measures sweet is pure good fortune: they might have been nauseous. Of course, if you find them——”