Will You Love Me in September

I waited all next day, and in the afternoon when the house was quiet, I went alone to Aimee's room, for I knew she would be there... .

She gave me a warm smile when I entered.

I said quietly, "I have come to talk to you.”

"That's nice," she said.

I shook my head. "You do very well at the card table," I said.

"Not so bad for a beginner.”

"You must have won a considerable sum.”

"Oh, a little. Enough to pay my debts to Lance and to give me a chance to recuperate my losses over the Bubble.”

"Naturally your methods are successful.”

She looked puzzled.

"I saw you cheating last night," I said.

All the color drained from her face. She stood up and stared at me, her eyes blazing.

"What are you talking about! You weren't there.”

"I was ... for a while. I saw you in the mirror.”

"You were dreaming.”

"No. I was wide awake. I saw distinctly. You had a winning card in the pocket of your petticoat. I saw you take it out after the cards were dealt." "It is not true.”

"I tell you I saw you do it.”

"In the looking glass! That's quite impossible. What are you trying to say?”

"Only that I saw you cheat at cards.”

"Nonsense.”

"It is not nonsense and you know it. Lance would never allow it.”

"Have you made this monstrous accusation against me to him?”

"Not yet.”

"Not yet! You mean you are going to?”

I hesitated, and when I saw the hope spring up in her eyes I knew without a doubt that she was guilty.

"I am not sure what I shall do," I said. "Oh, Aimee, how could you do such a thing!”

"There is only your word against mine.”

"Do you think Lance would believe you rather than his wife?”

"No ... he'd believe you, and then ..." She stared blankly ahead.

"Why did you do it?”

"I didn't. I didn't.”

"Please don't lie to me. I saw you. I saw it all. I was terribly upset.”

Her face crumpled suddenly and she began to cry. That touched me terribly. I always thought her rather hard and well able to take care of herself. To see her so abjectly miserable made me sorry for her.

"Aimee," I went on, "why ... why?”

She took out a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. "I suppose I shall have to go now," she said. "You'll tell Lance, and he will send me away. He would never have anyone here who cheated at cards. I wasn't going to make a habit of it ... only until I had things straight. You've no idea what it's like living on charity. I want to work ... to do something for myself and Jean-Louis. I want our independence. I want ...”

"That wasn't the way to do it.”

"I know. But I saw how it could be done ... and then I did it. I'm saving, Clarissa, saving for myself and Jean-Louis.”

"It's taking money which doesn't belong to you.”

"They are all rich. They can afford it.”

"That's no reason why you should do it.”

"I know it's wrong. I'm weak, I accept that. I deserve everything that's coming to me. You'd better tell Lance at once, and I'll start making plans ... though where I'll go I have no idea.”

I watched her. There was no mistaking the despair in her face. I could see her gloating over her winnings, calling them her means to her independence. She turned her pleading eyes to me.

"It has been wonderful here. You have been so kind ... you and Lance. But I see I must go now. You're going to tell Lance, aren't you?”

"He will never allow you to play again," I said.

"I know. And he'll find some excuse to send me away.”

"Aimee," I said slowly, "if I promise not to tell him, will you promise me never to cheat again?”

She had taken my hands and gripped them hard.

"Oh, I will, I will," she cried.

I came out of her room feeling emotionally exhausted. It seemed to me that I had emerged from the situation in the only way possible.

Aimee's luck at the tables had changed drastically.

"It is like that," said Lance. "You have a fantastic run of luck and then suddenly ... it's all over. It'll come back.”

"I don't think it ever will," said Aimee sadly.

I was satisfied. She was no longer cheating.

I thought about her a great deal. I made excuses for her. She had come over from France on the chance of finding her father's people and a new life. Hers had been a precarious existence, and she had found great comfort in security. She had married for it she had more or less said so-and then it had been lost with the bursting of the Bubble and the death of her husband.

She still attended the gambling sessions, though with less zeal than before. Sometimes she was flushed with success, at others despondent. I told her it was a mistake to join in, but I could see that she had caught some of that fever which obsessed Lance.

It was too late now for her to draw away.

Sabrina

T he months passed quickly. I visited Enderby in the autumn. It was a sad visit, for as soon as I saw Damaris I realized that her health had deteriorated still further.