CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The day of Helen's capture arrived, and Henry and Margaret had lunch and tea at Dolly's in the early afternoon. Margaret was terribly nervous and upset. Henry felt that she was not in any condition to see Helen. He thought that things would most certainly turn out badly.

"Why don't you let me go alone," he suggested.

"No, no. I must go. I'll be fine," she answered. "Excuse me, I'm just going to wash up before we go."

And as soon as she went into the bathroom, Henry walked to his car and asked the driver to take him to Howards End, alone. But, Dolly's dog happened to be lying down in the middle of her driveway, and caused the driver to go around him and run over some newly planted flowers. Dolly screamed seeing them crushed under the tire, and Margaret, having heard this, came running out of the house. Henry stopped the driver from going any further and waited for Margaret to climb inside the car. She was angry, but also understood that Henry had meant well. She forgave him immediately.

On the way to Howards End, they stopped and picked up Henry's doctor, who, it had been planned, would examine Helen after her capture. But upon seeing him and hearing the questions he had about Helen ('does she have a history of illness. Ah, so she's the sensitive, artistic type, is she?'), Margaret suddenly realized the mistake she was making. Helen was not crazy. She was a Schlegel, just as Margaret was a Schlegel. And the Schlegels must stand by one another, to protect their kind.

When the house came into view, Helen's taxi could be seen near the Elm tree. Then Margaret saw Helen. She was sitting on the porch, waiting for the servant to arrive. She was not crazy. She was almost exactly as Margaret had always known her except for one change: she was pregnant.

Margaret jumped out of the car and ran into the garden. Helen, hearing the garden gate shut loudly, turned around in fright. Margaret gave her no time to argue, but immediately took out her keys, opened the front door, and pushed Helen inside. Margaret remained outside, on the porch, standing guard against the men who now approached.

"What's going on, Margaret?" Henry asked.

"Please, just ... go back to the car. Let me handle this on my own."

The doctor went to speak with Helen's cab driver and then came back and whispered the news that she was pregnant to Henry.

"Please, dear. This is a terrible mess. Have her come out so that we can all help her."

"We don't need anyone's help," Margaret said.

"But you do," argued the doctor.

"You are only looking at this in a medical way. I'm looking at this in an emotional way. I know my sister and I love her. You don't know her at all, and so you have no feeling whatsoever!"

"Dear ... please ... " Henry pleaded.

"No. I'm sorry, but I cannot ... I will not let any of you in! I'll stand here all night if I have to."

Then Henry turned to the doctor and to his driver and asked them to go back to the car. They obeyed, but with disappointment in their hearts.

"You too must go, Henry. I'm sorry if I've behaved badly today, but I cannot help it. I'll meet you at Dolly's later."

He turned slowly, without saying a word, and walked back to the car. As soon as the dust had settled and the sound of the engine had disappeared, Margaret went inside and found Helen standing in the hall.

"I'm sorry that I lied to you. I feel ashamed."

"I have to say that I'm quite surprised by all of this," Helen said, reaching for a book in the bookcase. "Was Aunt Juley really ill?"

"Helen ... I could never lie about something like that."

"Anyway, my life has changed. I can't be in England any longer. The people will not accept me for what I've done. In Germany no one knows me or judges me. I ... "

"Helen, please come here and talk with me."

"Conversations are not good for me now. I'll be having the baby in June and then I can talk with you. In the meantime, I've gotten a flat with Monica."

"Who's Monica?" asked Margaret.

"She's an Italian journalist living in Munich. She is the best person to help me through my pregnancy. Anyway, you should come and visit me after the baby is born. I'll always have a room ready for you."

"Yes ... I will."

"Well, I must go now. Is everyone gone? Is it safe to go out there?"

"Yes. Only your taxi is waiting."

Margaret walked out the front door, feeling terribly sad, feeling she had lost her sister. But Helen did not follow her right away. Her voice came from the hallway: "It seems that Howards End is no longer the Wilcox's home, but ours! Look at all of this. How did it happen?"

Margaret told her about Miss Avery and her need to furnish the house out of respect for Mrs Wilcox.

"Would you like to see the rest of the house before you go?"

"Yes, actually."

So, they looked about and talked all the while. Each minute they were together, their relationship seemed to get easier and easier, slowly returning to its former self. Seeing all of their old furniture unpacked and carefully placed about Howards End, they could not help but talk about their past at Wickham Place. The furniture looked as though it had always belonged in Howards End, actually. Even the rugs fitted the rooms perfectly.

"Meg, I've a wonderful idea!" Helen suddenly shouted.

"What is it?"

"Why don't you and I stay here tonight?"

"Oh, well ... " Margaret started to say, but was interrupted by a knock at the front door. It was a little boy selling milk.

"Miss Avery sent me, ma'am. And I'm to bring eggs in the morning, as well."

"We won't need any. Besides, we don't have anything to drink the milk from," Margaret said, a little too seriously.

"Oh, but just have him leave the bottle here," said Helen. "I'm in the mood for milk. What's your name, little boy?"

"Tom."

"Well, thank you very much, Tom," Helen said, accepting the bottle from him, "We'll see you early in the morning, then."

After the boy left, Margaret was still not entirely sure that Henry would be happy with her staying the night at Howards End.

"It's our house now. Look, it's full of our furniture," argued Helen.

"Well, I feel that I must at least go and tell him. Even more than him, Charles may get very upset about it. He hated hearing about our furniture being unpacked by Miss Avery. You wait here and I'll be back very shortly." Then a feeling of excitement ran through Margaret's body, "Oh, I can't tell you how happy this makes me. Getting to spend a whole evening with you. It's wonderful!"

"Yes, a wonderful ending," said Helen.

Margaret rushed out of the house and told the driver to take her into Hilton. Part of her excitement had been lessened by Helen's last sentence. She felt that something unpleasant might be about to unfold before her. But she raced on anyway, looking forward to the chance to talk with Helen throughout the night.

(end of section)