“Mother! Tire yourself out in the kitchen? No, indeed! Flora and I will see to it.”
Mrs. North sighed.
Her daughter sighed too; then suddenly burst out: “Old Captain Price comes here pretty often.”
Mrs. North nodded pleasantly. “That daughter-in-law doesn’t half take care of him. His clothes are dreadfully shabby. There was a button off his coat to-day. And she’s a foolish creature.”
“Foolish? she’s an unladylike person!” cried Miss North, with so much feeling that her mother looked at her in mild astonishment. “And coarse, too,” said Mary North; “I think married ladies are apt to be coarse. From association with men, I suppose.”
“What has she done?” demanded Mrs. North, much interested.
“She hinted that he—that you—”
“Well?”
“That he came here to—to see you.”
“Well, who else would he come to see? Not you!” said her mother.
