Chương Chương 36 · “Margaret, you look upset!” said Henry. Mansbridge had followed. Crane

. “Margaret, you look upset!” said Henry. Mansbridge had followed. Crane

was at the gate, and the flyman had stood up on the box. Margaret shook

her head at them; she could not speak any more. She remained clutching

the keys, as if all their future depended on them. Henry was asking

more questions. She shook her head again. His words had no sense. She

heard him wonder why she had let Helen in. “You might have given me a

knock with the gate,” was another of his remarks. Presently she heard

herself speaking. She, or someone for her, said “Go away.” Henry came

nearer. He repeated, “Margaret, you look upset again. My dear, give me

the keys. What are you doing with Helen?”

“Oh, dearest, do go away, and I will manage it all.”

“Manage what?”

He stretched out his hand for the keys. She might have obeyed if it had

not been for the doctor.

“Stop that at least,” she said piteously; the doctor had turned back,

and was questioning the driver of Helen’s cab. A new feeling came over

her; she was fighting for women against men. She did not care about

rights, but if men came into Howards End, it should be over her body.

“Come, this is an odd beginning,” said her husband.

The doctor came forward now, and whispered two words to Mr. Wilcox—the

scandal was out. Sincerely horrified, Henry stood gazing at the earth.

“I cannot help it,” said Margaret. “Do wait. It’s not my fault. Please

all four of you to go away now.”

Now the flyman was whispering to Crane.

“We are relying on you to help us, Mrs. Wilcox,” said the young doctor.

“Could you go in and persuade your sister to come out?”

“On what grounds?” said Margaret, suddenly looking him straight in the

eyes.

Thinking it professional to prevaricate, he murmured something about a

nervous breakdown.

“I beg your pardon, but it is nothing of the sort. You are not

qualified to attend my sister, Mr. Mansbridge. If we require your

services, we will let you know.”

“I can diagnose the case more bluntly if you wish,” he retorted.

“You could, but you have not. You are, therefore, not qualified to

attend my sister.”

“Come, come, Margaret!” said Henry, never raising his eyes. “This is a

terrible business, an appalling business. It’s doctor’s orders. Open

the door.”

“Forgive me, but I will not.”

“I don’t agree.”

Margaret was silent.

“This business is as broad as it’s long,” contributed the doctor. “We

had better all work together. You need us, Mrs. Wilcox, and we need

you.”

“Quite so,” said Henry.

“I do not need you in the least,” said Margaret.

The two men looked at each other anxiously.

“No more does my sister, who is still many weeks from her confinement.”

“Margaret, Margaret!”

“Well, Henry, send your doctor away. What possible use is he now?”

Mr. Wilcox ran his eye over the house. He had a vague feeling that he

must stand firm and support the doctor. He himself might need support,

for there was trouble ahead.

“It all turns on affection now,” said Margaret. “Affection. Don’t you

see?” Resuming her usual methods, she wrote the word on the house with

her finger. “Surely you see. I like Helen very much, you not so much.

Mr. Mansbridge doesn’t know her. That’s all. And affection, when

reciprocated, gives rights. Put that down in your notebook, Mr.

Mansbridge. It’s a useful formula.”

Henry told her to be calm.

“You don’t know what you want yourselves,” said Margaret, folding her

arms. “For one sensible remark I will let you in. But you cannot make

it. You would trouble my sister for no reason. I will not permit it.

I’ll stand here all the day sooner.”

“Mansbridge,” said Henry in a low voice, “perhaps not now.”

The pack was breaking up. At a sign from his master, Crane also went

back into the car.

“Now, Henry, you,” she said gently. None of her bitterness had been

directed at him. “Go away now, dear. I shall want your advice later, no

doubt. Forgive me if I have been cross. But, seriously, you must go.”

He was too stupid to leave her. Now it was Mr. Mansbridge who called in

a low voice to him.

“I shall soon find you down at Dolly’s,” she called, as the gate at

last clanged between them. The fly moved out of the way, the motor

backed, turned a little, backed again, and turned in the narrow road. A

string of farm carts came up in the middle; but she waited through all,

for there was no hurry. When all was over and the car had started, she

opened the door. “Oh, my darling!” she said. “My darling, forgive me.”

Helen was standing in the hall.