“Very well. Do as you like. Miss Barfoot and I will come to the police court and give strong evidence in your favour.”
“Now there’s a woman!” exclaimed Everard, not all in jest, for Rhoda’s appearance had made his nerves thrill and his pulse beat. “Look at her, Mary. Do you wonder that I would walk the diameter of the globe to win her love?”
Rhoda flushed scarlet, and Miss Barfoot was much embarrassed. Neither could have anticipated such an utterance as this. “That’s the simple truth,” went on Everard recklessly, “and she knows it, and yet won’t listen to me. Well, good-bye to you both! Now that I have so grossly misbehaved myself, she has a good excuse for refusing even to enter the room when I am here. But do speak a word for me whilst I am away, Mary.”
He shook hands with them, scarcely looking at their faces, and abruptly departed.
The women stood for a moments at a distance from each other. Then Miss Barfoot glanced at her friend and laughed.
“Really my poor cousin is not very discreet.”
“Anything but,” Rhoda answered, resting on the back of a chair, her eyes cast down. “Do you think he will really cane his sister-in-law?”
“How can you ask such a question?”
“It would be amusing. I should think better of him for it.”
“Well, make it a condition. We know the story of the lady and her glove. I can see you sympathize with her.”