"I shall not refuse it," says she, slowly, "whatever you may do."
"I?"
"You said you didn't want to go," says his wife severely. "But I have been thinking it over, and——" Her tone has changed, and a slight touch of pink has come into her pretty cheeks. "After all, Freddy, why should I be the one to keep you from your people?"
"You aren't keeping me. Don't go on that."
"Well, then, will you go by yourself and see them?"
"Certainly not."
"Not even if I give you the children to take over?".
"Not even then."
"You see," says she, with a sort of sad triumph, "I am keeping you from them. What I mean is, that if you had never met me you would now be friends with them."
"I'd a great deal rather be friends with you," says he struggling wildly but firmly with a mutton chop that has been done to death by a bad cook.