She hastened to shake hands with both him and Patsy, saying feelingly:
“Your pleasure could not be greater than mine, Mr. Carter. I am delighted to see you. I ought to scold you roundly, however, for not having called here occasionally, at least.”
“That’s right, too, Helen,” put in Mantell.
“You overlook one fact,” smiled Nick, replying to her.
“What is that, Mr. Carter?”
“That I have hardly an hour in the week, not to say in a day, that I can really call my own,” Nick said gravely. “I am a very busy man, you know.”
“Ah, I suppose so,” Helen rejoined. “And chiefly because other men are so wicked.”
“True.”
“It is deplorable.”
“True again,” said Nick. “Nor am I less busy than usual this morning. I think, Frank, we had better get right at this matter.”