“I shall take her in the car to the junction in time for the night train,” he answered.
“All right.... I shall see you again, shan’t I, Cathie?”
“We shall be back in half an hour,” he said curtly.
When they were out of Helen’s hearing Catherine said:
“Who told you I had to be back in town to-night?”
“I told myself,” he replied. “I insist upon your going back to-night.”
“And supposing I don’t?”
“I can only ask you,” he replied, somewhat subdued, “to avoid making things unnecessarily unpleasant.”
“Things need not be at all unpleasant,” she cried passionately, “if only you weren’t such a brute.”
She had not meant to say this.