“You are awful. You only went on purpose to upset him. I knew that all along. Why must you be so spiteful?” said Harriet. “You’re never happy unless you’re upsetting somebody’s apple-cart.”
“Am I doomed to agree with everybody, then?”
“No. But you needn’t set out to be disagreeable. And to Mr Cooley especially, who likes you and is such a warm, big man. You ought to be flattered that he cares what you think. No, you have to go and try and undermine him. Ah—why was I ever pestered with such a viperish husband as you!” said Harriet.
Victoria made alert, frightened eyes. But Somers sat on with the same little smile and courteous bearing.
“I am, of course, immensely flattered at his noticing me,” he replied. “Otherwise, naturally, I should have resented being told to leave. As it was I didn’t resent it a bit.”
“Didn’t you!” cried Harriet. “I know you and your pretences. That is what has put you in such a temper.”
“But you remember I’ve been in a temper for days,” he replied calmly and gravely. “Therefore there could be no putting.”
“Oh, it only made you worse. I’m tired of your temper, really.”
“But Mr Somers isn’t in a temper at all!” cried Victoria. “He’s nicer than any of us, really. Jack would be as angry as anything if I said all those things to him. Shouldn’t you, Jack?” And she cuddled his arm.
“You’d be shut up in the coal-shed for the night before you got half way through with it, if ever you started trying it on,” he replied, with marital humour.