"My brother saw you go out. He came up and chaffed me."
"Your brother is a donkey. It must have been someone else."
"I tell you he recognized you by that chiffon fal-lal you wear!"
Rackham stood on one side. Let them fight it out.... Then his mouth hardened. What was he going to do? He had managed to prevent Julia from spoiling it all, and as long as he could keep her quiet the cards were in his hands.
CHAPTER VIII
"I won't let you go home," said the Duchess. "Barnaby can do as he likes, but you're too tired to mind sleeping in a cupboard."
She held Susan firmly by the arm as she spoke; she had motives. Barnaby deserved to be punished; his conduct with Julia had really been scandalous. But a worn-out girl, a wisp of white satin, was no match for a naughty husband. She would burst into tears and forgive him. Let Barnaby go home by himself, feeling guilty, and brood upon his unkindness. She would tell Susan what to do to him in the morning.
With rough kindness she hustled the girl away with her, and having collected her party, ordered them to bed.
"Because," she said, "until some of you are disposed of I can't tell what to do with the others, and I want to know if there are beds enough to go round."