She was not thinking of dinner, and no doubt Kate would manage something. It was Kate’s business.
“You’re wearing funny clothes,” she said.
“Country clothes,” he explained. “You see, I’ve been in the country.”
“Yes. In the country. It was rather beautiful, Ada.”
“I nearly went with Mrs. Grandage to the ‘Métropole,’ at Blackpool, but I don’t like dressing for dinner.”
“Blackpool’s not beautiful,” he said. “Ada, I want to talk to you, and I hardly know how to begin, except that I want you to understand that I’m in earnest. It’s a serious matter.”
“Money?” said Ada, sitting up sharply in her chair.
“Not money. We’ve both been wrong about money, I think. We’ve both taken it too seriously.”
“If you’re going to tell me that something has gone wrong with your money, it’s very serious indeed.”
“It hasn’t. No. This is a larger thing than money. I want, if I can, to alter things between us, Ada. How can I put it? There’s your father----”
“I never want to hear his name again,” she interrupted. “He insulted me.”
“You go to church, you know; you listen to him there.”
“People would talk if I didn’t go. I needn’t listen to him when I am in church.”
“He’s a good old man. I’m sorry we have drifted from him. But I’ll not press that now. If the rest comes right, that will come right with it. It might even come so right as to include my mother.”
“My word!” she said, “you _are_ digging up the past. I don’t see how you could call things right when they include me with a charwoman.”
“By her own choice. But please forget that, Ada. Yes, it’s true that I am digging in the past. I want to go back to see where we went wrong.”
“I didn’t know we had gone wrong.” She looked at him. “You look well,” she decided, “but you can’t be.”
“I am better than I’ve ever been,” he said, “and stronger, and if need be I shall use my strength, but I hope the need won’t come for that. Ada, can you tell me this? Can you tell me what it is you want?”
“You’re sure it’s all right about your money?” she asked anxiously.
“Yes, of course it’s right,” he said impatiently.
“Then I don’t know that I want anything. I could do with more, naturally. Who couldn’t?”
“More money. Not more beauty? Not a new purpose? Not something to live for?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sam. You’re very strange to-night.”