“It isn’t to be expected. Nancy didn’t give it a thought or she wouldn’t have done it; but as you’ll have no reason to complain again I’d let it drop now if I were you.”
Nancy smiled provokingly and by ill-luck Baldwin saw her and his wrath blazed out afresh. He had been only half placated by Inman’s smooth words—indeed his foreman’s coolness always irritated him more than an outburst of temper as he had sense enough to know that it placed him at a disadvantage. He now turned to Nancy, the veins on his forehead swelling into tense blue cords.
“You ——!” Imagination must supply the coarse expressions that sent Keturah’s hands to her ears and a scowl to Inman’s brow. “You sit there making game o’ us; same as you’d naught to do but pull t’ strings and we should all dance to your tune. But you’ve t’ wrong pig by t’ ear, I can tell you, when you’ve Baldwin Briggs to deal wi’. A nice fool I should ha’ been to turn t’ business over to another man just because you’ve wed him. Shut your mouth!” he roared, turning angrily about as Inman interjected a word; “You’ve had your say; and I don’t doubt but what you’re hand-in-glove wi’ t’ lass for all your smooth talk. Partners! I’ll see you both blaze first. I wasn’t born i’ a frost. ‘Do nowt and take all!’ that’s your motto.”
His eyes were on Nancy again, and for the first time she deigned a reply.
“That only shows what a good scholar I’ve been,” she said with calm contempt. “ ‘All for my-sen’ has been the watchword in this house ever since you came into it, so why blame me for adopting it?”
Amusement and something not unlike admiration was in Inman’s eyes; but he veiled his feelings. The next moment he said:
“We’ll have no stirring up strife, Nancy. Mr. Briggs knows that it was none o’ my doing to ask to be made partner; and whether he believes me or not I want no partnership. But he can’t blame a wife for seeking t’ best she can get for her husband, and especially when she takes ‘No’ for an answer and makes no more to do about it. I say again we’d best forget what’s been said and try to cool down. I’ve told you you’ll have no more trouble with Nancy.”
The girl met his meaning glance defiantly, but allowed her expression to speak for her; and Baldwin made no reply of any sort.
When the meal was finished Inman signalled to his wife to follow him into the parlour, which had been allocated to their use.
“You silly fool!” he began when they were alone; lowering his voice to a whisper and in a tone that was entirely without malice. “Why can’t you play your cards patiently when you’ve a handful of trumps? You’ve only to wait a while and you shall be lady to your heart’s content; but you’ll spoil all if you set Baldwin against me.”