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“That if you ever wanted any extra-marital, he would be available, is that it?” he asked dryly. She nodded. That little shit.

“Please Clem,” she said timidly, rising from her chair and approaching him. “Don’t be angry.”

“I’m not,” he lied and caught hold of her hand, raising it to his lips. “Not with you.” That part was true in any event.

“I will be more guarded in the future,” she promised. “It’s just that—well—I never needed to before and it never even occurred to me that I should watch my step.”

“Mmm.” Naïve, he thought again, but did not voice.

“I have been over my every interaction with Mr. Ewell a thousand times in my head since. I promise you it was never my intention to … to…”

“Lead him on?” he suggested. Her face was scarlet by this point. She nodded. “You would not need to, Dora-mine. Ewell is not some tame, neutered tabby like Allsop.”

He saw her lips half start to frame a defense of Harold Allsop before deciding against it. “I suppose not,” she groaned, dropping her face into her hands. “I just feel terrible about the whole thing.” The last was muffled for it was spoken behind her fingers.

“Well don’t. It wasn’t your fault. You turned him down and he took it like a man, you said. That’s right, isn’t it?” He could not quite keep the thread of tension out of his words. “Because if he did not …”

“No, no, I promise Clem. I would tell you if he did not,” she said, meeting his eye fair and square.

He felt his shoulders relax. “Good,” he said gruffly. “Then, that’s that. Still not hungry or can I take you to lunch?”

She gave him a faint smile. “Still not hungry,” she said, surprising him slightly. “I have a bag of apples Albert bought me somewhere.” She glanced about and they both saw a crumpled brown bag of apples resting on her vanity.

“You’re sure?” he hesitated. Strange to say, he did not think she had ever turned him down before. “How about coming back to my office and curling up on my couch to finish your play?”

“Your uncomfortable couch, you mean,” she answered, the corner of her lips turning up, though the smile was not echoed in her eyes which still looked a little swollen.

Next time he saw Barty … he thought, while stating aloud, “It can’t be any worse than that chair. Thing looks like it’s on its last legs.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine where I am. In fact”—she straightened up—“I’ve changed my mind. I’m going home. There’s no point in my being here this afternoon. I’ll be back at quarter to seven for this evening’s performance. Henrietta is accompanying me,” she added, casting a look of challenge his way. “Though I am not entirely sure anymore that a music hall career will suit her after all.”

Clem was surprised by her turnabout after her resounding victory over him. “What changed your mind?”

“I had forgotten that Vincent has rather old-fashioned notions of feminine propriety. He does not care for music hall.”

“What do Vincent’s feelings have to do with it?” Clem asked with a snort.

“Well, I think, that is, I’m practically certain that Hetty has finally accepted his love,” she answered.

Clem paused. He very much doubted that. “She could just have a temporary dependence on him, you ever think about that?” He shrugged. “He would gladly offer himself up. I do not think he would begrudge her using him for a while.”

“She would not do that, Clem,” Dora said, instantly firing up. “You do not really know her at all!”

Clem shrugged. “She’ll have to do a lot more than hold his hand if she means for him to view her as anything but an item of worship.”

“What do you mean?”

Clem sighed. “She’s not inviting like you, Dora. She hasn’t got your charm.” She stared at him seemingly in disbelief over his words. Clem lifted an eyebrow at her. “I have mentioned this before,” he said with slight impatience. “Or do you still insist on believing it was her I wanted to sign all along for The Eagle?”

“No,” she answered, flushing. “I believe you now. I understand that you don’t think she can do it at all, but I wish you would have a little faith in her, Clem. That same faith you gave me when you agreed to let me on your stage. You were the only one who believed in me, even Lil had her doubts, but you …” Overcome with emotion, she broke off her words, and just as well, for Clem felt them like a punch to the gut.

He had not believed in her. Not for a single moment.

Dora took a deep, shaky breath. “I think I will be better off at home this afternoon,” she reiterated. “Perhaps I could take a nap after finishing my reading.”

“Get your things,” he said. “I’ll come out with you and make sure you get a hackney.”

Clem felt strangely disquieted as he secured the cab door behind her and waved her off. He felt annoyed with himself. He had never been a worrier, yet these days he could never seem to shake off some nagging unease from dogging his every step. Usually about the state of his marriage.