"H-how _dare_ you?" she gasped.
"It has come to that!" he answered. "How dare I, your husband, try tocontrol your actions in any way? I tell you, Lavinia, I have had enoughof your antics, and I will not longer put up with them!"
"You--you--What in heaven's name ails you, Richard?"
"This! I will not countenance that puppy's invasion of my house!" Hemade a furious gesture towards the wilted bouquet.
"Neither will I permit you to make yourself the talk of London throughhim!"
"I? I? _I_ make myself the talk of London? How dare you? Oh! how dareyou?"
"I beg you will cease that foolishness. There is no question of mydaring. How dare _you_ disobey me, as you have been doing all this pastweek?"
She cowered away from him.
"Dicky!"
"'Tis very well to cry 'Dicky,' and to smile, but I have experiencedthat before. Sometimes I think you are utterly without heart!--aselfish, vain, extravagant woman!"
The childish lips trembled. Lady Lavinia buried her face in the pillows,sobbing.
Carstares' face softened.
"I beg your pardon, my dear. Mayhap that was unjust."
"And cruel! And cruel!"
"And cruel. Forgive me."
She twined white, satiny arms about his neck.
"You did not _mean_ it?"
"No. I mean that I will not allow Lovelace to dangle after you,however."
She flung away from him.
"You have no right to speak like that. I knew Harry long before I everset eyes on _you_!"
He winced.
"You infer that he is more to you than I am?"
"No! Though you try to make me hate you. No! I love you best. But I willnot send Harry away!"
"Not if I order it?"
"Order it? Order it? No! No! A thousand times no!"
"I do order it!"
"And I refuse to listen to you!"
"By God, madam, you need a lesson!" he flamed. "I am minded to take youback to Wyncham this very day! And I promise you that, an you do notobey me in this, to Wyncham you _shall_ go!" He stamped out of the roomas he spoke, and she sank back amongst her pillows, white and tremblingwith fury.
As soon as she was dressed, she flounced downstairs, bent on finishingthe quarrel. But Carstares had gone out some time since, and was notexpected to return until late. For a moment Lavinia was furious, but thetimely arrival of a box from her mantua-maker's chased away the frownsand wreathed her face in smiles.
Richard did not return until it was time to prepare for the rout, and onentering the house he went straight to his chamber, putting himself intothe hands of his valet. He submitted to the delicate tinting of hisfinger-nails, the sprinkling of his linen with rosewater and thestencilling of his brows. He was arrayed in puce and gold, rings slippedon to his fingers, his legs coaxed into hose with marvellous clockssplashed on their sides, and a diamond buckle placed above the largeblack bow of his tie-wig. Then, powdered, painted and patched, he wentslowly across to his wife's room.