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Chapter 18
’Ithink,’saidHilda,’itwillbebestifshenamesquiteanothermanasco-respondentandyoustayoutofitaltogether.’
’ButIthoughtI’dputmyfootrightin.’
’Imeaninthedivorceproceedings.’
Hegazedatherinwonder.ConniehadnotdaredmentiontheDuncanschemetohim.
’Idon’tfollow,’hesaid.
’Wehaveafriendwhowouldprobablyagreetobenamedasco-respondent,sothatyournameneednotappear,’saidHilda.
’Youmeanaman?’
’Ofcourse!’
’Butshe’sgotnoother?’
HelookedinwonderatConnie.
’No,no!’shesaidhastily.’Onlythatoldfriendship,quitesimple,nolove.’
’Thenwhyshouldthefellowtaketheblame?Ifhe’shadnothingoutofyou?’
’Somemenarechivalrousanddon’tonlycountwhattheygetoutofawoman,’saidHilda.
’Oneforme,eh?Butwho’sthejohnny?’
’Afriendwhomwe’veknownsincewewerechildreninScotland,anartist.’
’DuncanForbes!’hesaidatonce,forConniehadtalkedtohim.
’Andhowwouldyoushifttheblameontohim?’
’Theycouldstaytogetherinsomehotel,orshecouldevenstayinhisapartment.’
’Seemstomelikealotoffussfornothing,’hesaid.
’Whatelsedoyousuggest?’saidHilda.’Ifyournameappears,youwillgetnodivorcefromyourwife,whoisapparentlyquiteanimpossiblepersontobemixedupwith.’
’Allthat!’hesaidgrimly.
Therewasalongsilence.
’Wecouldgorightaway,’hesaid.
’ThereisnorightawayforConnie,’saidHilda.’Cliffordistoowellknown.’
Againthesilenceofpurefrustration.
’Theworldiswhatitis.
