April began pulling the laces. "I've never had my name in the paper," she said enviously. "You have twice, now, if you count 'The Lioness' as a name."
"And how much good has it done me? By God, I'm getting fat."
April tied the laces and helped her into her gown. They were going out tonight. April had a new lover, a middle-aged magazine editor with a wife and six children in Clapham. This evening he and a friend were taking April and Maisie to a music hall.
Between now and then they would walk along Bond Street and stare into the windows of fashionable shops. They would not buy anything. In order to hide from Hugh, Maisie had been obliged to give up working for Sammles--much to Sammles's regret, for she had sold five horses and a pony-and-trap--and the money she had saved was rapidly running out. But they had to go out, regardless of the weather: it was too depressing to stay in the room.
Maisie's gown was tight across her breasts and she winced as April did it up. April gave her a curious look and said: "Are your nipples sore?"
"Yes, they are--I wonder why?"
"Maisie," said April in a worried tone, "when did you last have the curse?"
"I never keep count." Maisie thought for a moment, and a chill descended on her. "Oh, dear God," she said.
"When?"
"I think it was before we went to the races at Goodwood. Do you think I'm pregnant?"
"Your waist is bigger and your nipples hurt and you haven't had the curse for two months--yes, you're pregnant," April said in an exasperated voice. "I can't believe you've been so stupid. Who was it?"
"Hugh, of course. But we only did it once. How can you get pregnant from one fuck?"
"You always get pregnant from one fuck."
"Oh, my God." Maisie felt as if she had been hit by a train. Shocked, bewildered and frightened, she sat down on the bed and began to cry. "What am I going to do?" she said helplessly.
"We could go to that lawyer's office, for a start."
Suddenly everything was different.
At first Maisie was scared and angry. Then she realized that she was now obliged to get in touch with Hugh, for the sake of the child inside her. And when she admitted this to herself she felt more glad than frightened. She was longing to see him again. She had convinced herself that it would be wrong to. But the baby made everything different. Now it was her duty to contact Hugh, and the prospect made her weak with relief.
