Antony came out of the study. He met Minnie and Julia, and was in two minds about delivering his message. She looked as if she had come to the end of her strength, almost to the end of everything. Julia said, “What is it?” and it was to her he spoke.
“He wants to see Minnie-but she doesn’t look fit.” Minnie Mercer straightened herself. When we think we have come to the end, there is always something left. She couldn’t have found it for herself, but she found it for Jimmy. She went into the study and shut the door. He was standing by the window with his back to her. He didn’t turn round. When she had come up to him he moved to make room for her. They sat down side by side upon the window seat. It was some time before he spoke. Whilst that time went by, her fear was passing too. It had tormented her day and night since Lois died-the fear that Jimmy would hate her for what she had done. She had done it innocently, but perhaps he would never be able to forget that she had done it. If he had had the thought, she would have known it, sitting there beside him with the silence round them. She had known him so long and so well, and had loved him so deeply, that he could not have hidden the thought. It came to her with a clear certainty that there was nothing to hide. He was desperately hurt, desperately unhappy. He needed comfort, her poor Jimmy, and he needed her.
He said at last, “It’s a bad business, Min.”
“Yes, my dear.”
After another pause he put out a hand and touched hers.
“You saved my life.”
She couldn’t speak. The touch had been withdrawn at once. After a moment he said,
“I don’t seem to take it in yet. I’ve been a great trouble to everyone. They’ve all been so good to me. Will you tell them, and say I’m going to do my best? Everybody’s been so good.”
“Yes, I’ll tell them.”
He leaned back against the window jamb. She felt that he was relieved-that he had said something that was difficult to say and it had relieved him. She knew as well as if he had put it into words that what he had really said was, “You saved my life. I won’t throw it away.” The most terrible weight of all was lifted from her.
After a little he began to talk about Ronnie Street.
“I’ve told Ellie she can bring him here any time after the funeral. It won’t be too much for you, will it, if Mrs. Huggins comes in every day?”
“No, it won’t be too much. She’s been coming the last few days.”
He rubbed his nose with the old familiar gesture.
“If you want more help, will you arrange about it? You and Ellie mustn’t do too much. Julia said you were doing too much. I want you to arrange about everything just as you used to… You won’t go away, Min?”
“Not if you want me.”
“I’ve always wanted you. I want you to take everything over. I don’t want those people who were coming, the butler and the two maids. Will you see about that-pay them something and say we’re making other arrangements? We don’t want strangers here just now. Only you and Ellie mustn’t do too much-I can’t have that.”
“I’ll see about everything, Jimmy. Connie Traill would come in for an hour or two in the morning if we wanted her. It might be a good thing-until Ronnie is on his feet again. It would give Ellie a rest.”
They slipped into a discussion which was so like old times that both of them were taken back to the days before Lois came.