Beatrice laughed. “You ought to hear Chang on that subject.”
Her mother started up. “You don’t mean it’s gone as far as that?”
“As what?”
“You haven’t talked about such things to him?”
“Long ago,” said the daughter coolly.
Mrs. Richmond, all a-quiver with fright and fury, moved toward the door. “I shall telephone for your father at once!”
“Do.”
“We will have you put away somewhere.”
“I’m of age.”
Mrs. Richmond could not altogether conceal how this terse reminder had discomfited her. “Your father will know how to deal with this,” said she, trying to cover the essential weakness of the remark by a savagely threatening tone.