"She won’t be miserable when she has children of her own to look after," he said. "That’s what she wants, and what I want too. They’ll make all the difference in the world to her."
Bunny was momentarily surprised. This was a possibility that had not occurred to him. "Oh, that’s the idea, is it?" he said.
"I don’t know," said Bunny. "Somehow I don’t seem to realize that she actually is married to you."
"She doesn’t realize it either," said Jake rather shortly.
"That’s because you don’t make love to her," said Bunny wisely. "Why, you don’t even kiss her, do you?"
"I haven’t." Jake’s voice was an odd compound of humour and dissatisfaction.
"You’d better ask her," said Jake somewhat grimly.
"Aren’t you friends?" There was quick sympathy in the boy’s voice. "I know Maud is a bit difficult to get on with. She was very odd even to Charlie this evening when he wanted us to go to the races with him. Why shouldn’t we have gone, Jake? She knew I wanted to, and she used to like it herself."
An echo of resentment sounded in the question. Bunny had plainly not wholly buried his grievance.
"I’ll take you one day, my son, when you’re stronger," Jake promised. "And Maud too--if she’s keen. I didn’t know she was. She didn’t tell me so."
"She doesn’t tell you everything, does she?" said Bunny, giving him a squeeze.
"Reckon she’s half afraid of me," said Jake. "What reason did she give for not going with Lord Saltash?"
"Oh, none. She just said we couldn’t. Charlie wasn’t best pleased about it. Charlie can be rather hot stuff when he isn’t pleased."
Jake uttered a dry laugh. "Did he make himself unpleasant?"
"No. But he cleared out almost at once. You see, he always used to be able to twist Maud round his little finger--till she broke with him."
Jake’s arms suddenly grew tense about the slim boyish body he held. "Say, young feller! Will you tell me something?" he said.
"Just this--only this," said Jake, his voice sunk to a whisper. "Have you any real reason--any good reason--for believing that Maud still cares for this old flame of hers? Honestly now! Was there any truth in what you said downstairs?"
"Oh, Jake, I’m beastly sorry I said it!" Bunny turned a distressed face upwards, pressing his hot forehead hard against Jake’s neck.