She went to him in his study where he sat peaceably smoking in the half-hour before bed-time.
Brodrick merely raised his eyebrows as she laid it before him—her monstrous proposal to go away—for three months. He asked her if three months was not rather a long time for a woman to leave her home and her children?
"I know," she said, "but if I don't——"
"Well?"
"I shall go to pieces."
He looked at her critically, incredulously.
"Why can't you say at once what's wrong?" he said. "Is there anything you want that you don't have here? Is there any mortal thing that can be done that isn't done?"
"Not any mortal thing."
"What is it then?"
"Hugh dear, did it never strike you that you are a very large family? And that when it comes down on me it's in the proportion of about seven to one?"