“If you had the smallest elegance of mind,” said his lordship furiously, “it would not have entered your head to have said it!”
“Well, but, Sherry, she did so look at you, and smile, that I could not but wonder .... But I quite see that I should not have said a word about it, and I am very sorry, and I will never do so again.”
“It will be better for you if you do not!” retorted her implacable spouse. “If I know anything of females, that cousin of yours will spread it all over town in a week — or she would if she moved in the first circles, which she don’t! And that’s another thing! I do not know how you come to have a cousin of such bad ton, but I can tell you that if you mean to be seen for ever in her company it will not do!”
Stung by the injustice of this, Hero retorted: “It was you who said that I was fortunate in having a relative in town! You said that there could not be the least objection to my visiting her!”
“I had not spent an evening in her company when I said that — if Isaid that!” replied Sherry grimly.
“It seemed to me that you were very well amused by her!” Hero flung at him. “I am sure you laughed enough at the things she was saying to you!”
“Well, I won’t have you jauntering about with her any more!” said Sherry, in a very imperious style. “Mind that!”
“I shan’t!” promptly replied Hero, losing her temper. “I shall make a friend of anyone I choose, and I shall go where I choose, and I shall do what I choose, and I shall — ”
“Will you, by God!” interrupted his lordship, descending purposefully upon her.
Hero retired strategically behind a small table. “Yes, I shall, and it is of no use to say Will I, by God! because it was you who said we would not interfere with one another, you know it was!”