“Hush! Not so loud! I can’t have him here! You don’t understand. I’ve had the most awful time with Jesse! I had to promise I’d never speak to Sambo again. I simply can’t—”
“I tell you he’s hurt!” reiterated Geraldine, with a sort of horror. “It may be serious. He may be—”
Serena began to cry.
“I can’t help it! I’m awfully sorry, but I simply can’t have any more trouble with Jesse. You ought to see that—”
“Mrs. Page,” said Geraldine, “he may be dying. He’s got to be brought in here at once!”
“I can’t help it!” cried Serena petulantly. “Sam Randall is nothing to me, and Jesse is simply everything. Jesse’s the only man I ever really cared for, and I won’t—”
“You beast!” said Geraldine.
Serena stared at her in blank astonishment. It was incredible that the cold and correct Miss Moriarty should have said that.
“I’m surprised—” she began, but Geraldine would not listen.
“A beast!” she said again. “You will have him in here, too!”