Her Own Way Part 32

MRS. CARLEY. Yes. And the only one of us now anyway who has a cent.

LOUISE. I don't think we can expect much help from Sam as to money.

COAST. That shows you don't know me.

LOUISE. [_Going to_ COAST.] You'll help us?

COAST. I've offered to make up every cent Steve's lost; ask Georgiana.

GEORGIANA. Yes, Sam offered to make a "trade" with me--

MRS. CARLEY. How?

[_Looks at_ GEORGIANA.

GEORGIANA. To make up Steve's losses if I'd marry him.

MRS. CARLEY. [_Quietly to_ COAST.] Sam! It's too good to be true.

COAST. So Georgiana thinks.

LOUISE. [_Angrily._] You won't do it?

GEORGIANA. No, I don't love your cousin.

MRS. CARLEY. Don't love him! What do you owe us? Louise loved Steve and what good did it do her? You've got the chance to make up for your brother!

STEVEN. That's not Georgiana's _duty_,--to make up for me.

MRS. CARLEY. You can't do it yourself, and you don't want your wife to starve, do you.

GEORGIANA. Louise _won't_ starve.

LOUISE. [_To_ GEORGIANA.] You could save us and you won't!

GEORGIANA. I don't love Sam.

MRS. CARLEY. Don't "love"? Did Molly Packer from Toledo love the Duke of Birmingham? and isn't she happy now?

GEORGIANA. I don't know, I have my doubts.

MRS. CARLEY. Doubts! Oh, _doubts_!

GEORGIANA. That's not the point, mother. I'm not going to marry Sam.

MRS. CARLEY. Oh, very well, then, have your way.

GEORGIANA. I will, mother.

MRS. CARLEY. [_Going to the sofa._] Don't consider my way at all.

GEORGIANA. I won't, mother, since you ask me not to.

MRS. CARLEY. But I'll tell you this, Georgiana, you're just as bad as Steve! We must shake off both of you. Louise must get a divorce and marry again. Look what other widows have done before her.

[_Louise goes to her mother and takes her hand._

GEORGIANA. Mother! Louise!

LOUISE. Well, why not?

MRS. CARLEY. Certainly!

GEORGIANA. [_Goes to them._] _No!_ Listen! You must stand by Steve, both of you. You ought to do it out of affection, for, after all, whatever you've got of friends and position and the things you value he gave you!

But never mind that! You ought to stand by him out of loyalty,--but never mind that! You've _got_ to stand by him because if you ruin him you'll ruin yourselves. You and mother could never hold up your heads again in our world--in the world you love--if you left Steve. After all, though our world may be careless sometimes of what it does itself, it is very particular about what those people do who are _its guests_! Of course, Louise, it does come hardest on you, for yourself and for the children--but still you've got to stand by Steve.

MRS. CARLEY. Sam!

[_Going to_ SAM _for help._

LOUISE. Oh, I suppose I'll forgive him, I always do, but I don't know about forgiving you.

GEORGIANA. _Me?_

LOUISE. If you don't marry Sam! You can make everything all right, and Sam loves you--you can make mother happy and me happy and Steve happy....

STEVEN. [_Interrupting._] No, leave me out!

[_He goes up behind the sofa._

LOUISE. Our life would go on just the same,--Steve will make no more mistakes. I think you're heartless to refuse!

GEORGIANA. But, Louise, you ask me to give up entirely my own happiness.

LOUISE. Not at all! There's no one else in love with you but Sam, and this isn't your first year out, you know.

MRS. CARLEY. And anyway it would be _five_ happy against _one_ unhappy, there's no arguing about that.

COAST. [_To_ LOUISE.] You and your mother both think she ought to accept me, don't you?

LOUISE. Certainly.

COAST. [_To_ GEORGIANA.] I told you.

GEORGIANA. Yes, Sam, you win!--but Louise! I love some one else.

LOUISE. d.i.c.k Coleman?

GEORGIANA. Yes, and I'm going to marry him.