For twenty years she had been acknowledged to be an important person, and this had left its trace upon her manner. She knew it had.
"Are you very angry at this silly boy of mine?" she said.
Haines shook his head—that is to say, he wagged it twice from side to side.
"Not at Charlotte, I hope?"
Another shake of the head.
The princess felt a little annoyed. "Then what in heaven's name do you feel, if anything?" she said.
"I feel kinda bored," he answered; and as Lisa gave an exclamation that expressed irritation and lack of comprehension he added, again without any added color in his voice: "How did you expect me to feel?"
"Oh, either more or less," answered Lisa. "Either you should be furious and shake Charlotte until her teeth rattled, and fling my boy into the street, or else you should be wise enough to see it doesn't make the least difference—and be human—and sensible—and—and—"
"—and give your son a job," said Haines quietly.