“I should be happy to have my dear son with me, and I will not deny that you are a great help to me; but Beverly is as strongly opposed as ever to city life. I asked him myself to go down for the winter, but he refused. He is one of Nature’s own children, and loves the country.”
“He certainly is very close to Nature in several of her moods. But I wish to go whether he does or not.”
“You would leave your husband?” Mrs. Peele spoke with meditative scorn.
“It will be better for both of us not to be shut up here together for another winter. I—I will not answer for the consequences.”
“Is that a threat?”
“You can take it as you choose.”
“Do you not love my son?”
“No, I do not.”
“And you are not ashamed to make such an admission?”
“Would you prefer to have me lie about it?”