Nineteen BROKEN ENGAGEMENT

Bridget heard Luke drive up. She came out on the steps to meet him.
She said without preamble¹:
“I’ve told him.”
“What?” Luke was taken aback.
His dismay was so patent that Bridget noticed it.
“Luke—what is it? You seem quite upset.”
He said slowly:
“I thought we agreed to wait until I came back.”
“I know, but I thought it was better to get it over. He was making plans—for our marriage—our honeymoon—all that! I simply had to tell him!”
She added—a touch of reproach in her voice:
“It was the only decent thing to do.”
He acknowledged it.
“From your point of view, yes. Oh, yes, I see that.”
“From every point of view I should have thought!”
Luke said slowly:
“There are times when one can’t afford—decency!”
“Luke, what do you mean?”
He made an impatient gesture.
“I can’t tell you now and here. How did Whitfield take it?”
Bridget said slowly:
“Extraordinarily² well. Really extraordinarily well. I felt ashamed. I be-lieve, Luke, that I’ve underestimated Gordon — just because he’s ratherpompous and occasionally futile³. I believe really he’s rather — well — agreat little man!”
Luke nodded.
“Yes, possibly he is a great man—in ways we haven’t suspected. Lookhere, Bridget, you must get out of here as soon as possible.”
“Naturally, I shall pack up my things and leave today. You might driveme up to town. I suppose we can’t both go and stay at the Bells and Motley—that is, if the Ellsworthy contingent⁴ have left?”
Luke shook his head.
“No, you’d better go back to London. I’ll explain presently. In the mean-time I suppose I’d better see Whitfield.”
“I suppose it’s the thing to do—it’s all rather beastly, isn’t it? I feel such arotten little gold digger.”
Luke smiled at her.
“It was a fair enough bargain. You’d have played straight with him. Any-way, it’s no use

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