“I was going to say that we couldn’t afford to live in Washington as we’ve been living,” she continued, as if she had not heard him. “When you leave here I shall take the children to my place in Waverly and pass the Winter there.”
“My place!” he repeated, coldly. He turned away. “Yes, it is your place.”
“Did you send for me to speak about the children?”
“No, I wanted to consult you about the house in Washington. I have a chance to lease it for two years. Senator Wadsworth is looking for a place, and he said the other day he’d take the house whenever I wanted to rent it. I had told him I didn’t feel sure of going back, and, of course, I knew how you hated the place,” he concluded, harshly. “If you prefer to live somewhere else, I’m willing.”
“I have made up my mind not to go back,” said Helen.
“And may I ask how long you propose to keep away from Washington? Do you intend to cut yourself off from my political life altogether?”
“You know why I want to cut myself off from it,” Helen replied, her voice trembling.
“I should think I did! You’ve rubbed that in enough. I suppose you realize what people will say?”
“There are plenty of Congressmen’s wives who don’t go to Washington with their husbands.”
“But you’ve taken part in the life. You’ve been conspicuous.”