“Well, did you meet the Senator?” she asked, her arms folded on the table and her head bent forward a trifle. She was amused to find his anger against her mother for her invasion of the Brodericks’ diverted to herself, and she willingly accepted the situation. Her husband was not used to answering questions propounded in this impertinent fashion, and his resentment increased.
“Yes; certainly the Senator was there!” he answered with asperity.
“And—Mrs. Tarleton?” she asked with an inflection that did not fail of its intention.
“Well—yes; she was there, very greatly to my astonishment. But that has nothing to do with this matter of my going without you; the two cases are not comparable.”
“You mean, Roger, that the lady and I are not comparable?”
“I mean nothing of the kind! Addie, you pain me more than you can know. I had never expected you would speak to me in the tone you are using.”
“Well, I have spoken to you in this tone because I have a right to maintain my own dignity under this attack you make upon me. I married you with some idea that I was to be your wife, but it seems that that understanding was on my part only. As to my mother, just what is it you wish me to do with her?”
He was very angry now and his voice rose from its usual calm, assured tone.
“I want you to keep your mother away from here! She is an impossible person! She threatens to make you a visit, merely for the purpose of annoying me—to abuse me for not having forced her upon the Brodericks.”
“But you didn’t force her upon them; you managed very cleverly to get rid of her without letting them know she was your mother-in-law. You had asked her to make a visit here when you thought she was going abroad for an indefinite stay, but now that she is on the way to your house you ask me most inhospitably to shut the door in her face—my own mother!”