Edwin glanced swiftly at Hilda, and Hilda knew from the peculiar constrained, almost shamefaced, expression on his features, that he was extremely annoyed. He gave a little nervous laugh.
"Oh! Have ye?" he muttered.
VI
Although Edwin discussed the purchase of the house quite calmly with Albert, and appeared to regard it as an affair practically settled, Hilda could perceive from a single gesture of his in the lobby as they were leaving, that his resentment against herself had not been diminished by the smooth course of talking. Nevertheless she was considerably startled by his outburst in the street.
"It's a pity Maggie went off like that," she said quietly. "You might have fixed everything up immediately."
Then it was that he turned on her, glowering angrily.
"Why on earth did you go talking about it, without telling me first?" he demanded, furious.
"But it was understood, dear----" She smiled, affecting not to perceive his temper, and thereby aggravating it.
He almost shouted:
"Nothing of the kind! Nothing of the kind!"