"You shall not," he said, at last.
"I don't understand how you're going to stop me."
"I must ask you to be patient—and see. You can make a beginning to-day, by staying at home from the Thoroughgoods'. That will be enough for the minute."
Fearing to look any longer into her indignant eyes, he passed on toward the stables. For some minutes she stood still where he left her, while the collie gazed up at her, with twitching tail and questioning regard, as though to ask the meaning of this futile hesitation; but when, at last, she turned slowly and re-entered the house, one would have said that the "dainty rogue in porcelain" had been transformed into an intensely modern little creature made of steel.
She did not go to the Thoroughgoods' that day, nor was any further reference made to the discussion of the morning. Compunction having succeeded irritation, with the rapidity not uncommon to men of his character, Derek was already seeking some way of reaching his end by gentler means, when a new move on Dorothea's part exasperated him still further. As he was about to sit down to his luncheon on the following day, the butler made the announcement that Miss Pruyn had asked him to inform her father that she had driven over in the pony-cart to Mrs. Throughgood's, and would not be home till late in the afternoon.
He was not in the house when she returned, and at dinner he refrained from conversation till the servants had left the room.
"So it's—war," he said, then, speaking in a casual tone, and toying with his wine-glass.
"I hope not, father," she answered, promptly, making no pretence not to understand him. "It takes two to make a quarrel, and——"
"And you wouldn't be one?"
"I was going to say that I hoped you wouldn't be."