He was still talking of this when Hugh passed us and turned round. Between the two men there was a stiff form of greeting. That is, it was stiff on Larry Strangways's side, while on Hugh's it was the nearest thing to no greeting at all. I could see he considered the tutor of his sister's son beneath him.
"What the devil were you walking with that fellow for?" he asked, after Mr. Strangways had left us and while we were continuing our way up-town. He spoke, wonderingly rather than impatiently.
"Because he had come from a gentleman who had offered me employment. I had just gone down with him to look at the outside of the house."
I could hardly be surprised that Hugh should stop abruptly, forcing the stream of foot-passengers to divide into two currents about us.
"The impertinent bounder! Offer employment—to you—my—my wife!"
I walked on with dignity.
"You mustn't call me that, Hugh. It's a word only to be used in its exact signification." He began to apologize, but I interrupted. "I'm not only not your wife, but as yet I haven't even promised to marry you. We must keep that fact unmistakably clear before us. It will prevent possible complications in the end."
He spoke humbly:
"What sort of complications?"
"I don't know; but I can see they might arise. And as for the matter of employment, I must have it for a lot of reasons."