“Your sister’s going home—”
“I’m not!” said Andrée.
Gilbert was astounded.
“This is a serious matter,” he said. “I can’t permit it. It’s your duty to go home to your husband.”
“I’ll just postpone the duty for a few days,” said Andrée.
“I say no! He came for you this evening and—”
“What is the matter?” asked Claudine’s low voice. She had come up after Bertie, and was standing in the shadow, outside the circle of light cast by the lamp on the newel post.
“I am telling Andrée that she must go home to-night. It seems her husband came to fetch her and she refused to go with him.”
“She’ll go to-morrow,” said Claudine. “It’s rather late now.”
“Father,” said Andrée, “I don’t want to be rude—but it’s my own affair. I can’t let anyone tell me what I shall do. I’ll go home when I think best.”