"But he meant it. I know he did. I know he did." A sudden thought came to her. "How long has it been since he talked to you about—since he last mentioned it to you?"
"Oh, it's been three weeks anyway."
She calculated quickly. It was three weeks since the Blackstone luncheon when Charley had been so rude to him. She tucked this away in the back of her mind; fenced for time. "Couldn't we sublet? I'd even be willing to rent it furnished, to reliable people."
"Furnished? What good would that do? Where would we live?"
She had thought of that, too. "We could go to mother's to live for awhile. There's loads of room. We could have the whole third floor, for that matter, until this blows over. Lots of families——"
But at that his jaws came together and the lower one jutted out a little in the line she had seen so seldom and yet knew so well. It meant thus far and no farther.
"No, Belle. I may be broke, but I'm not that broke—yet. I'll provide a home for my family. Maybe it won't be quite what we're used to; but it'll be of my own providing. When I let you go back to your mother's to live you can know I'm licked, beaten, done. But not until then, understand."
She understood.
"Well, dear, we'll just have to do the best we can. When do you have to give Leach your answer?"
"Within the week, I should say. Yes."