Martin chewed his bacon in dignified silence, while his wife cocked a speculative eye at him to see if she had gone too far. Presently the two pairs of eyes met, and Grizel, made an extraordinary play with her eyebrows which gave the effect of contrition, and defiance, and injured innocence, and apologetic love, and half a dozen appealing sentiments rolled into one, whereat Martin shrugged, and cried, “You women!” and racked his brain to think what consolation to offer next.
“Cheer up, darling, we’ll have a holiday next month. I’ve had a note from the agent to say we can have the house, and the Squire is keen to join. You’ll enjoy the sea and unlimited powwows with Lady Cassandra, and, if you speak her fair, perhaps she’ll take over the housekeeping, and set you free.”
The mutual renting of a house near a seaside golf course had been in discussion for some time between the two households, but Grizel betrayed only a mitigated satisfaction in her husband’s proposal.
“Cassandra knows nothing about housekeeping, and if she did I’m not going to give it up, just as there’s a chance of getting a little credit. I’m getting quite a daisy at it now. Guess what you’re going to have to-night? Best end of the neck! Cook suggested it, and I said, ‘Whose neck?’ She looked quite scared. Martin, did you know you had chops growing inside your neck? Isn’t it thrilling?... I’m going to kiss you on the best end of your neck!”
She rose, and put her threat into execution, then sauntered over to an easy chair, and lit a cigarette.
“Of course, when you talk so sweetly about my talks with Cassandra, I know you are inwardly gloating on golf. You throw Cassandra to me as a sop, so that you may feel free, and have no scruples in leaving me day after day. Never mind! retribution will be yours. Poor angel! how tired you will get of hours and hours of undiluted Squire...”
“I’m not so sure; he is a type, and I’m interested in types, and from the golfer’s point of view, an approximate handicap covers a multitude of sins. And I don’t propose to confine myself to Raynor. I asked Peignton to come down, and he was delighted.”
Grizel frowned thoughtfully.
“I like Captain Peignton. It’s noble of me, for he has never quite made up his mind to like me, but I’m not altogether sure that you were wise to ask him this time.”
“For Heaven’s sake why not?”