The solicitor returned home nearly two hours before his usual time, and found Leslie Morrison just preparing to enter the house.
The two men went in together.
Elsie started violently at the sight of her husband, and then laughed artificially. “Hullo! It’s a case of Oh, what a surprise, isn’t it? You’re back early, Horace.”
“Yes,” said her husband.
“I hope you’re not too tired after last night,” Morrison began.
“Oh no, thanks! It was fine. Horace, I haven’t told you about the dance yet. It’s a shame you weren’t there.”
The moment she said the words, Elsie knew that she had made a mistake.
“Yes,” Williams remarked quietly, “you’d have liked me to be there, wouldn’t you? Well, let me inform you that you aren’t going to any more dances for the present.”
“Whatever do you mean, Horace?”
“Morrison knows what I mean all right, and so do you, you little ——” His low, snarling tone gave the effect of spitting the ugly word at her.