The adulteress

She threw herself against me and then she was sobbing bitterly. The tears I knew brought relief. She was no longer alone.

She trusted me. My own experience had perhaps helped me to understand hers. I had been able to choose the right words to give her the support she needed.

I took her back with me to the house, put her to bed and told the household that she was suffering from a chill and was sleeping. No one was to disturb her.

I went straight to Jean-Louis. He was resting as he often had to do now.

I said: "A terrible thing has happened. I have to talk to you about it. It's Hetty."

"She's been looking a bit strained lately. Is it something to do with James?"

"We've got to help her," I said. "That girl will find some way of harming herself if something isn't done. She's going to have a child."

"Well, she and James will marry, I suppose. They won't be the first who have forestalled their wedding."

"It's not as simple as that. James is not the father."

"Good God."

"You may well be surprised. She has just told me. Jean-Louis, she was going to drown herself in the river. By a miracle I saw her. I have been watching her lately. I knew something was terribly wrong. It happened on the night of the Harvest Home. She had had too much punch and he ... this er ... "

"Do you know who it was?"

I looked at him steadily. He would have to know. I realized how calm and practical he had always been, how kind, uncondemning.

I said: "It was Dickon."

"Good God," he said again, and there was an expression of horror on his face. "He's only a boy... ."

"I suppose someday people stop saying 'He's only a boy.' He may be young in years but he is old in sin. There is something evil about Dickon. Jean-Louis, what are we going to do? Hetty is desperate."

"She couldn't marry Dickon."

"Marry Dickon! That would be quite impossible. Besides, she hates him."

"Then why ... ?"

"Oh, don't you see, it's a plot of revenge. Dickon knows James is in love with Hetty. Dickon was angry about the strip of land which was given to Hassock. That's how it is with Dickon. It's revenge."

"Oh, surely not ..."

"I think I know that boy. It was due to him that you ... that you are not as well as you were... . He's evil. I think it would have been better for Hetty to have walked into the river than marry Dickon."

"We could send her away somewhere where she could have the child."

"I thought of that. I don't know whether she would go. You see, her life seems to her to be in ruins. Her family boast so much about her ... and then this to happen. And of course James ... She just can't face it, poor girl."

"She will gradually come to it."

"Jean-Louis, what if James ... ? James loved her. If he really loved her enough ..."

"Yes, if he really loves her he will care for her no matter what she has done."

I looked steadily at him and said: "If ... I had done something like that ... you would always love me, Jean-Louis, always care for me ... ?"

I could not look at him. I wondered if he would notice how my heart began to hammer against my bodice.

He took my hand and kissed it. "No matter what," he said. "I should always love you and protect you as far as was in my power."

"Not many love like that," I said. "Jean-Louis, I shall always be grateful for you."

"My life would be nothing without you," he answered and my thoughts were transported to that time when I had considered ... going away with Gerard.

I said: "Thank you, my dear. I wonder if James's love for Hetty is as strong as yours for me." I rushed on because I felt too emotional to talk further of myself and had to get back to Hetty's problem. "Do you think we could speak to James?"

He was silent for a long time. Then he said: "Would Hetty wish that?"

"No. She could never bring herself to. I don't think he has asked her to marry him. I suspect that since the Harvest Home her attitude towards him would have changed. Jean-Louis, I think we have to speak to James. There is so much tragedy in the world because people don't look facts straight in the face. If she goes away James will have to know. He should have a chance to show his love for her."

"I think you are right," said Jean-Louis.

We deliberated for some time before we made our final decision and then Jean-Louis sent one of the men out to find James and bring him to us as soon as possible.

When he came Jean-Louis said: "We want to talk to you, James. Zipporah made a discovery today ... about Hetty... ."

I said: "James, she was going to drown herself in the river."

He stared at me unbelievingly.

"It's true," I said. "I prevented her in time, and she told me why."

He still did not speak. His face was quite white and his hands were clenching and unclenching as he stood there.

"She is going to have a child," I said. "Poor, poor Hetty, this is a terrible thing that has happened to her."

James had turned away to the window. I guessed he did not want us to see his face. He said in a tight voice: "Are you telling me that she will marry ... ?"

"No, James."