She moved closer to him and spoke deprecatingly, "Do not be angry with me, Robert; I believe I am doing right to remain away. I must remain."
"Well, of all the simpletons that ever walked, you are about the worst," was his complimentary rejoinder as he caught up his gloves. "Good-bye, Clary," he added, stooping to kiss her.
"Oh, Robert, I hope you will come back safely!" she said, clinging to him as if she feared he was going away for ever; and the tone of her voice, full of mournful wailing, struck upon the ear of her husband.
Nevertheless he went off laughing, telling her not to fear--that he'd come back with all his legs and wings about him.
On the platform he met Louisa and Rose Jupp under the convoy of their brother. "Then actually Mrs. Lake is not coming!" exclaimed Louisa.
"And I have only come to see you off," was Mr. Lake's response. "I am not going on to Guild."
"Oh, you barbarous deceiver!" quoth Rose. "Where are you going?"
"To church, as a respectable individual of modern society ought."
"I tell you what, Lake," interrupted Oliver Jupp, a dark, short young man, quiet and sensible, "this is not fair. These girls entrapped me into taking them, on the strength that you were to be one of the party, and it's too bad to shuffle off it."
"So it is," returned Mr. Lake. "But you must talk to my wife about it. I am the most hopelessly henpecked husband your worst fancy ever pictured; Caudle was nothing to it."