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She did not go to the Thoroughgoods' that day, nor was any further reference made to the discussion of the morning. Compunction having succeeded irritation, with the rapidity not uncommon to men of his character, Derek was already seeking some way of reaching his end by gentler means, when a new move on Dorothea's part exasperated him still further.
"My dear," she said, "I simply can't imagine life without Blandford. It's just part of me. . . ." "But when you marry you wouldn't live there yourself," he argued. She raised her eyebrows. "Pride of place belongs to women as much as to men," she answered simply. "Why, Derek, don't try to pretend that you don't understand that." She gave a little tired laugh. "Besides, it's Dad and Gordon. . . ."
Derek sprang up and strode across the room. "Do you mean to tell me," he demanded, turning abruptly, "that she made over all her money to Mrs. Eveleth a woman who has deserted her, like the rest of us?" "That's what she did; but there's this to be said for the old lady, that she doesn't know it. She thinks it's the wreck of her own fortune, and Diane wouldn't let me tell her the truth.
If she took the matter to heart, it was no more, she thought, than she had a right to do, seeing that Derek was almost like a younger brother, and, with the exception of Uncle James in Paris, and Aunt Regina in New York, her nearest relative in the world.
Where was the sense of it? Derek had been scowling, and Derek still scowled. His eyebrows were formidable, and his mouth smiled no welcome at Jill as she approached him. The evening, portions of which Jill had found so enjoyable, had contained no pleasant portions for Derek.
I do so want you to like Derek, Uncle John, because it's a secret from nearly every one he and I are engaged." John jerked his head up a little, as though he had received a slight blow. The news was not palatable. He kept his form, however, and answered: "Oh! Really! Ah!" Nedda said still more softly: "Please don't judge him by the other night; he wasn't very nice then, I know."
"My duties are so arduous that I have been compelled to make lists and things." "Vane," he answered, "Christian Derek." She entered both in her book, and then shut it with a snap. "Now I'm ready to begin. Are you going to amuse me, or am I going to amuse you?" "You have succeeded in doing the latter most thoroughly," Vane assured her. "No have I really? I must be in good form to-day.
The rogue eyes followed him gravely, then once more began examining the grass, and the toe of her boot again began kicking a little hole. But Derek did not look back. It is in the nature of men and angels to pursue with death such birds as are uncommon, such animals as are rare; and Society had no use for one like Tod, so uncut to its pattern as to be practically unconscious of its existence.
Then, with a great effort, the boy brought out his question: "You've heard about poor Bob?" "Yaas; 'tis the end of HIM." Some meaning behind those words, the unsmiling twist of that hard-bitten face, the absence of the 'sir' that even Tom Gaunt generally gave him, all seemed part of an attack. And, feeling as if his heart were being squeezed, Derek looked straight into his face.
It's maddening!" cried Derek, the sense of his wrongs surging back over him. "What do you suppose my mother thought? She asked me who the man with you was. I had to say I didn't know! What do you suppose she thought?"
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