Rachael sat silent, stunned.

“Oh, Rachael,” the girl said passionately.  “Don’t think I didn’t fight it!  I thought of you, I tried to think for us all.  I said we would never see each other again, and I went away—­you know that!  For months after that day in the Park we hardly saw each other.  And then, last summer, we met again.  And he talked to me so wonderfully, Rachael, about making the best of it, about being good friends anyway—­and I’ve lived on that!  But I can’t live on that forever, Rachael.”

“You’ve been seeing each other?” Rachael asked stupidly.

“Oh, every day!  At tea, you know, or sometimes especially before you came back, at dinner.  And, Rachael, nobody will ever know what it’s done for me!  Greg’s managed all my business, and whenever I was utterly discouraged and tired he had the kindest way of saying:  ‘Never mind, Magsie, I’m tired and discouraged, too!’” Magsie’s face glowed happily at the memory of it.  “I know I’m not worthy of Greg’s friendship,” she said eagerly.  “And all the time I’ve thought of you, Rachael, as having the first right, as being far, far above me in everything!  But—­I’m telling you everything, you see—­” Magsie interrupted herself to explain.

“Go on!” Rachael urged, clearing her throat.

“Well, it’s not much.  But a week or two ago Greg was talking to me about your being eager to get the boys into the country early this year.  He looked awfully tired that afternoon, and he said that he thought he would close this house, and live at the club this summer, and he said ’That means you have a dinner date every night, Magsie!’ And suddenly, Rachael—­I don’t know what came over me, but I burst out crying”—­Magsie’s eyes filled now as she thought of it—­“and I said, ’Oh, Greg, we need each other!  Why can’t we belong to each other!  You love me and I love you; why can’t we give up our work and the city and everything else, and just be happy!’”

“And what did—­Warren say?” Rachael asked in a whisper.

“Oh, Rachael!  That’s what I’ve been remembering ever since!” Magsie said.  “That’s what made me want to come to you; I knew you would understand!  You’re so good; you want people to be happy,” said Magsie, fighting tears again and trying to smile.  “You have everything:  your sons, your position, your beauty—­everything!  I’m—­I’m different from some women, Rachael.  I can’t just run away with him.  There is an honorable and a right way to do it, and I want to ask you if you’ll let us take that way!”

“An honorable way?” Rachael echoed in an unnatural voice.

“Well—­” Magsie widened innocent eyes.  “Nobody has ever blamed you for taking it, Rachael!” she said simply.  “And nobody ever blamed Clarence, with Paula!”

Rachael, looking fixedly at her, sat as if turned to stone.

“You are brave, Magsie, to come and tell me this,” she said at last quietly.

“You are kind to listen to me,” Magsie answered with disarming sincerity.  “I know it is a strange thing to do.”  She laughed nervously.  “Of course, I know that!” she added.  “But it came to me that I would the other day.  Greg and I were talking about dreams, you know—­things we wanted to do.  And we talked about going away to some beach, and swimming, and moonlight, and just rest—­and quiet—­”