“I mean that you must be prepared to take the consequences.”
“Who are you? I should like to know what you have to do in this matter?”
“I speak as Miss Brookes's future husband.”
“Future husband be damned! She'll never marry you,” said Charlie, springing out of bed.
Frank threw himself on his guard, and they would have struck each other if Willy had not cried out: “Frank, remember you promised me there must be no scandal.”
“I had almost forgotten. For Miss Brookes's sake, I refrain. Do you also, for her sake, cease to provoke me.”
Charlie hesitated for a moment, then rushing to the door, he said: “I, too, for Miss Brookes's sake, refrain, and I give you three seconds to clear out.”
In attempting to carry out the injunction Willy nearly fell in the bath. Frank had to bite his lip to avoid a smile, and he stalked out of the room assuming his most arrogant air.
“I think, on the whole, we got the best of it,” he said as they went down stairs.
“Do you? He turned us out of his room!”