"It's a very delicate matter. The mother-in-law has money of her own; but Diane has nothing. It's difficult to see what to do, except to find her a situation."
"Then find her one."
"I have; but you won't take her."
"In any case," he said, in the aggressive tone of a man putting forward a weak final argument, "you couldn't leave the mother-in-law all alone."
"I'd take her," Lucilla said, promptly. "You have no idea how much I want her, in this big, empty house. It's getting to be more than I can do to take care of Aunt Regina all alone."
Minutes went by in silence; but when Derek turned from the window and spoke, Lucilla shrank with constitutional fear from the responsibility she had assumed.
"Go and ring them up, and tell young Mrs. Eveleth I'm waiting to see her here."
"But, Derek, are you sure—?"
"I'm quite sure. Please go and ring them up."
"But, Derek, you're so startling. Have you reflected?"