“I—I don’t understand. By God, you’re enough to drive a man mad.” His teeth clinched. “If this is a joke, get it over and come to business. How much do you want to hold your tongue? Out with it and have done with it.”
She advanced toward him, threateningly.
“Drop that,” she said. “Don’t use that kind of tone to me. I’m not going to be bullied, Mr. Bradstone. You’d better come down a peg or two, or I’ll——” She looked round. “I suppose I could collect a reg’lar crowd in a couple of minutes,” and she opened her lips.
He seized her arm, his face working.
“Hush!” he said. “I—I was only in fun. What is it you do mean? How can you be a great lady, as you call it? How can you—you know my wife?”
“Your wife!” she laughed, scornfully, and he winced. “Never you mind; you’re too curious, you are. Don’t ask me any questions, and I’ll tell you no lies. Anyhow, you can tell your wife that I mean what I say. Your wife—your wife!—and me is going to be great friends. I shouldn’t be surprised if she asked me to stay with her. That will be fun!” and she threw her head back and laughed with malicious enjoyment of the vision her words called up. “Only fancy, Bella-Bella chumming with a great swell’s daughter! Oh, Lor’!”
He stood and looked at her, and a new expression was coming into his eyes, an expression of watchful cunning.
“Well,” he said, “funnier things have happened. It’s—it’s a strange world——”
“I should think it is after the wedding I’ve seen this morning!” she retorted.
“And—I’ve nothing to say against it,” he went on, trying to speak carelessly; “only I should like to have a warning. But I’ll make a bargain with you, Bella. Give up the idea—I don’t see anything in it to your advantage—and I’ll give you——”