“Is that all!” And Mrs. Hale’s eyebrows rose in displeasure. “What a wretched time to sell. I shall remonstrate with your husband for permitting you to part with the bonds.”
“You will do nothing of the sort.” The girl’s tone brought a hot flush to her mother’s cheeks, but there was that in Judith’s expression which checked her angry rejoinder. “Please, Mother, remember that I am independent as far as my fortune is concerned, and am my own mistress.”
Mrs. Hale considered her for a minute, then to Latimer’s horror, for he had a shy man’s distaste of scenes, her lower lip quivered suggestively, while her pale blue eyes grew moist.
“What a way to address your mother, Judith,” she said reproachfully. “I, who have your best interests at heart. It is most unkind.”
“I had no intention of being unkind.” Judith laid her hand for a second gently on her mother’s shoulder. “Only, please do not discuss my affairs with my husband; he also”—she looked squarely at Latimer—“has my best interests at heart and I can rely upon his honest judgment.”
Latimer bowed. “Joe is no fool,” he remarked dryly. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Hale, I guarantee that Judith is quite right in the stand she is taking, and”—again he bowed—“I admire her for it.”
“You have always approved of woman suffrage,” grumbled Mrs. Hale, as she rose and led the way down the aisle to the entrance to the dining room. “But take a word of advice from an older woman, Judith; it is not the wife who asserts her independence who gains her wishes, it is she who concedes the little things of life who controls the big issues. To rule, a woman must never show she rules.”
She paused to speak a complimentary word to the major-domo, and Judith, striding ahead down the short staircase, discovered that Latimer was keeping step with her. Before he could voice his thoughts, she had formulated her line of action.
“If you have any stock deals,” she said in an undertone, “do tip me off. Hush, not a word; I don’t wish Mother to know I am playing the market, here she comes.”
His ideas in a whirl, Latimer assisted them into their limousine just as a touring car drove up to the curb and stopped with a grinding of brakes which echoed down the street. A second more and John Hale had flung himself out of the car and dashed over to the limousine. A rapid survey showed him that the only occupants of the car were Mrs. Hale and Judith.