“I couldn't think of anything ruder at the time,” acknowledged Randall. “It got rid of her most successfully.”
“You can't go about being filthily rude to people just to get rid of them!”
“I can and do,” he replied imperturbably.
“You do, yes,” Stella said hotly. “You're the most poisonous-tongued person I know!”
“So you have often informed me,” bowed Randall. He regarded her with a curious smile. “You can't bear me, can you, little Stella? What have I done?”
“Nothing. You don't,” Stella said contemptuously. “You just say spiteful things, and drift about like a lounge lizard. I used to hate you when we first came to live with uncle.”
“My darling, you still do.”
“I don't think twice about you,” said Stella. “You were horrid to me when I was a kid —”
“A gawky, clumsy flapper,” murmured Randall, closing his eyes. “I remember.”
“I wasn't!”