'Bias ground his teeth. "Havin' dinner with her!" he told himself, and fell to work savagely to carve his solitary portion.
Having satisfied his appetite, he lit a pipe and smoked. But tobacco brought no solace, no charitable thoughts. While, as a matter of fact, Cai tramped the highroads, mile after mile, striving to deaden the pain at his heart, 'Bias sat puffing and let his wrath harden down into a fixed mould of resentment.
Dusk was falling when Cai returned. Mrs Bowldler, aware that something was amiss, heard his footsteps in the passage and presented herself.
"Which, having been detained, we might make an 'igh tea of it," she suggested, "and venture on the wing of a goose. Stuffing at this hour I would 'ardly 'int at, being onion and apt to recur." But Captain Hocken desired no more than tea and toast.
Mrs Bowldler was intelligently sympathetic, because Fancy had called early in the afternoon and brought some enlightenment.
"There's a row," said Fancy, and told about the sale of the parrot. "That Mrs Bosenna's at the bottom of it, as I've said all along," she concluded.
"Do you reelly think the bird has been talking?"
"I don't think: I know."
Mrs Bowldler pondered a moment. "Ho! well—she's a widow."
"I reckon," said Fancy, "if these two sillies are goin' to fall out over her and live apart, you'll be wantin' extra help. Two meals for every one—I hope they counted that before they started to quarrel."