“Almost died, poor kiddie.”
She flared up in an instant. “Why wasn’t I told? What were you thinking of, you little fool?”
“If you had taken the trouble to come out to Tarrytown, you could have found out for yourself,” he retorted, coolly. “Now, see here, Nellie, I’ve come in to see you and to have a very plain talk with you. So just hold your horses. Don’t fly off the handle. I am the head of this family and I’m going to boss it from this time on.”
“You––” she began, in a furious little shriek, her eyes blazing. She caught herself up in time. Two or three people nearby looked up at the sound of her raised voice. She lowered it to a shrill, intense half-whisper. “What do 114 you mean by coming here in this way? Everybody is laughing at me. You make me ridiculous. I won’t stand for it; do you hear?”
He was colder if possible than before, but he was resolute.
“We’ve got to have an understanding, the sooner the better,” he said, quietly.
“Yes, you’re right,” she repeated; “the sooner the better.”
“We can’t talk here,” he said, suddenly conscious that the eyes of many were upon them. “Go over and ask that infernal sneak to excuse you, and we’ll go up to the flat.”
“I’m going motoring this aft––”
“You do as I tell you!” said he, in a strange voice.