"Most assuredly!"
"Then I shall have to tell her she is not welcome."
"You will do nothing of the sort, my dear: you will assume the duties of hostess, for which no one is more charmingly qualified."
Mrs. Gerard's lips were white with anger as she retorted:
"I shall not allow that woman under the same roof with Natalie."
"As usual, you choose the most inconvenient occasion for insisting upon your personal dislikes."
"My dislike has nothing to do with the matter. I overlooked her behavior with you last year—as I have overlooked a good many things in the past—but this is asking too much."
Gordon's coldness matched her own as he said:
"I repeat, this is no time for jealousy—"
"Jealousy! It's an insult to Natalie."