"Joe Pickering's going to be in Texas this whole summer, if that's what you mean!" flamed Billy.
"I'm glad to hear it," Clarence commented.
"Anyway, you might depend upon Vera to take absolute good care of Bill," Rachael said soothingly. "It's time you both got away to some cooler place, if you are going to fight so about nothing! Why do you do it? Billy can't marry anyone for eleven months, and if she wants to marry the man in the moon then you can't stop her. So there you are!"
"And I'm capable of running my own affairs," finished Billy with a look far from filial.
"You only waste your breath arguing with Clarence when he's got one of his headaches," Rachael said to her stepdaughter an hour or two later when they were spinning smoothly into the city for the planned shopping. "Of course he'll go to Vera's, and of course you'll go, too! Just don't tease him when he's all upset."
"Well, what does he drink and smoke so much, and get this way for?" Billy demanded sullenly.
"What does anybody do it for?" Rachael countered. And a second later her singing heart was with Gregory again. He did not do it!
She entered into Billy's purchasing perplexities with great sympathy; a successful hat was found, several deliciously extravagant and fragile dresses for camping.
"You're awfully decent about all this, Rachael." Billy said once; "it must be a sweet life we lead you sometimes!"
Something in the girl's young glance touched Rachael strangely. They were in the car again now, going toward Mrs. Gregory's handsome, old-fashioned house on Washington Square. Rachael was inspired to seize the propitious second.