human
Of course I know what sort of woman that was he was with, Barbara went on.
gpt
You don't live in Paris even as I have to, without knowing the difference. I hate it all; and I hate him. Why couldn't B see?
human
I don't know, said Caroline slowly.
gpt
But I didn't see either.
human
You're so sweet and good, darling, she said.
gpt
You know, I believe that I see more in some ways than you and B--I don't mean horrid things like that, but all sorts of things--about people, I mean.
human
I think you have more brains than either I or B,
gpt
I don't think it's brains so much. I don't know what it is, quite. I know I'm not so _nice_ as you, or B either.
human
You're every bit as nice, darling, and much cleverer.
gpt
I'm sharp, and amusing, she said.
human
Perhaps I'm rather too sharp. I shouldn't like people to be afraid of me because of my tongue. I'd much rather be like you, and have everybody love me. Cara, when B gets married, you and I will be a lot to each other, won't we? I shall be quite grown up by the time I come home for good; I'm nearly grown up now. I suppose I shall always be much the same with Bunting, but I want to be something different with you.
gpt
Darling, it's just what I've been thinking about. I shall miss B awfully, when she goes; but I shall have you, to make up. And I think it's quite true that you can see more into things than I can--some things. Dad told me once I hadn't got a masculine brain.
human
No, you're all feeling. But it's right feeling. I don't believe you would ever have fallen in love with Lassigny, though you didn't dislike him as I did. I'm never quite so sure about B. Of course I love her awfully, and she's very sweet, and good, too. But I think she wants somebody to look after her. Do you think Dick is the right man for her?
gpt
Why, don't you? It's you who can judge.
human
Well, then, I do, on the whole. I think he'll want to be master, absolutely. He has that sort of strength. He wouldn't do for me, even if I loved him, and all that. I should want somebody I could be more equal with. But I think it will suit B--to adapt herself to what he wants. The only thing I'm not quite sure about is whether he'll give her exactly the sort of life she wants. He has his job and he is keen on it; and of course she won't take an _enormous_ interest in that, though she'll like to see him go up in it. Then he likes country life, and she doesn't particularly. She likes going about much more than you do. I don't quite see B settling down and living at Wilborough most of her life.
gpt
You've thought it out,
human
Yes, I like thinking things out. Of course I may be all wrong because I don't take all this _love_ business enough into account. That may alter everything.
gpt
You think it's all tommy-rot, don't you?
human
Well, I know it can't be, really, because it seems to take the most sensible people. I suppose most of them get married because of it, at least in England. But I should _think_--I don't know--that the happiest husbands and wives are those that like the same sort of thing, not those that are most in love with each other to begin with.
gpt
I used to think that, said Caroline.
human
I'm not sure that I do now. I have never loved anybody--in the way that B has, I mean--so perhaps I don't know more than you do about it. But I do think it ought to begin with that. I suppose marriage isn't just having a companion you like. If it were I shouldn't want to marry at all, because I have just the companionship I want at home.
gpt
Francis Parry wanted to marry you, didn't he?
human
You're very sharp, darling, said Caroline with a smile.
gpt
I didn't know you'd noticed anything.
human
You and B have always treated me rather too much like a baby. I haven't minded much, or perhaps you wouldn't have, for I should have talked to you about things more. But it's going to be different now. There are lots of things I shall want to talk to you about. I like Francis; but I'm rather glad you didn't marry him, all the same. I think he'd have made exactly the right husband for B, though.
gpt
That's a new idea, she said.
human
Do you think Dick would have made exactly the right husband for me?
gpt
Well, yes, I do, was Barbara's rather surprising answer.
human
You'll be happier settled down, when you do marry.
gpt
You don't settle down much as a sailor's wife.
human
No, but he'll live at Wilborough by and bye, or his wife will. That would suit you. It would be like going on living at Abington. But Francis would live sometimes in London and sometimes in the country, and he and his wife would go about a lot. That's just what would suit B.
gpt
Well, it just shows that love has most to do with it, after all, said Caroline.
human
I like Dick, too, but I should never want to marry him. If I had to marry either of them, I'd much rather marry Francis. And I believe that if anything were to happen to stop B marrying Dick, she'd feel it more than she did before.
gpt
We shall want cheering up when you leave us, darling, her father had said to Beatrix.
human
Your old Daddy will be the gayest of the gay, but his merriment will be hollow and his laugh a mockery.