"Ulick is such an old friend, he will make no difference," she replied.
"You are precious fond of his society still," he said, showing his ill-temper; "I should have thought you would have preferred being alone with me, if you came down to give me a surprise. Perhaps you wrote and informed him you were coming here."
Irene was angry at this remark, and said—
"You know I did no such thing, and I am surprised at you insulting me by such a remark. His father wrote and gave him the information."
"At your suggestion," sneered Warren.
"You are in a bad temper, and forget yourself," she replied. "I will leave you to recover your manners. Remember one thing, if you make any more suggestions of a similar kind at dinner I shall retaliate. I am quite capable of giving you a very unpleasant surprise if you fail to treat me with respect."
She went out of the room, and he stood looking at the closed door. Then he said to himself—
"What has come over her? I never found her in this mood before. I must get to the bottom of it. Retaliate, will she? Well, we shall see."