The Foot of Time: A Novel of Australia and the South Seas: (1933)

3 8 THE FOOT OF TIME
"I am in no mood to listen to your dissertations
on nationalities," Clare snubbed him. "Just keep to
the point of issue, will you?"
"There is nothing more to be said," Bruce rejoined.
"Oh, isn't there? I haven't began on you yet."
Clare passed her thin handkerchief across her forehead.
"And so, ever since I have been here you
have been supporting one or two girls?"
"Better men than I do it in this part of the
world, my dear."
"Don't call me `my dear.' I hate you. Do you
understand? Hate and detest you! Asiatics do it,
not Britishers!"
Bruce wilted under that thrust. He was conscious
of a growing 'admiration for her, if such
were possible. "I'm damn sorry, Clare," he began.
"Could you possibly forgive me? I've acted like a
damned fool. I'll give all that sort of thing up.
Let's forget it. I—I couldn't possibly get on without
you, Clare. I—you are everything to me."
"Forget it?" Clare thundered, her passion rising.
"Forget it? Are you mad? Look what you have
done. That baby—murdered. Oh, it's too hateful
—and—and I loved you, loved you more than
Oh, Bruce, you have broken my heart." She broke
down and began to weep bitterly, then as quickly
recovered herself. She looked up, eyes dim with
tears. "Before I leave you, leave you and your
Eastern customs for good—for good and for all—
I want you to tell me this, on your word of honour,
mind."
THE FOOT OF TIME
Her husband waited.
"Had it been possible for me to have known all
this before I made the ghastly mistake of marrying
you, had you made a clean breast of it to me, would
you have been prepared to give it all up for me?
I mean, supposing if such a thing were possible;
supposing I could have overlooked it and married
you. Tell me that, Bruce. Tell it me on your sacred
oath. Would you—would you?"
"On my word of honour, yes. Most definitely
and truthfully, my dear. I love you. I always shall
love you—would to God I didn't. I've been overconfident.
My marriage must have unsettled the
girls. They are usually so docile. I never dreamed
that my orders would be flouted. Mackenzie
warned me—stout fellow, Mac; I like him immensely.
I was a fool not to be guided by him.
Too late now. What you told me about Abdul
made it clear. Ranee had been spying, working herself
up. Never for an instant did I dream that you
would learn of it. Dreadful—dreadful!"
A mighty sob shook the man, then: "I must go
out now and attend to matters," he said. He rose
and crossed the room to her, put his great hand on
her shoulder. Clare suffered it. "Please believe," he
said hoarsely. "Please know that I love you with
all my heart. Only you, my dear. Nothing can
ever alter that. You must do what you think best.
I ask you to remain, overlook it, and I swear I will
give up the East and take to convention and the
West. If you elect otherwise, you will be well
provided for."
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