"Dearest, because I must bridge over the time until you are ready to
take me. You see that?"

"Of course. But why there? You can easily get another place."

"Oh, easily! If you had been through it as I have been! The first
thing they ask you for is a reference from your former situation.
Think what a reference Mrs. Chater would give me!"

He would not agree. He plunged along in his blundering, man fashion:
"In time you could get a place where they would not ask questions--or
rather--yes, of course this is it. Tell them frankly all that
happened. Who could see you and not believe you? Tell them everything.
There must be some nice people in the world."

"There may be. But they don't want helps or governesses--in my
experience." The little laugh she gave was sadly doleful.

He was still angry. "You can't generalise like that. There are
thousands who would believe you and be glad to take you. Suppose you
have to wait a bit--well, you have a little money that she must give
you; and I--oh, curse my poverty!--I can borrow, and I can sell
things."

The help that a man would give a woman so often has lack of sympathy;
he is unkind while meaning to be kind. George's obdurateness, coming
when she was most in need of kisses, hurt her. Trouble welled in her
eyes.

"I wouldn't do that," she said. "For one thing, we want all our money.