He stared in deep amazement. He flung away the remains of his meal and stood still with his mouth open.
“Are all women like you?” he said. “Upon my soul, I wonder sometimes—but this—it’s all so unlike what goes on in a man’s mind—where are we? Where are we? You always seem to leave me guessing.”
“I don’t suppose I can make you see, dear Jordan. I’ve had hours and hours to think about it. You come to it fresh. Of course, it sounds strange to you for the minute. You must allow for the surprise. I’m only a woman, and, what with one thing and another, I’ve been that driven and harried lately that my mind is all in a whirl. It’ll come right no doubt. He’s not going to claim damages. That’s one certainty, and that ought to comfort you. And I think when you see him, at his orders—”
“Well, my dear man, do be reasonable. You jump down my throat so! It’s no good questioning every word I say. It makes me despair. I haven’t got your flow of language, and if I can’t pick my words, you needn’t quarrel about them.”
“I’m not picking a quarrel, Medora; I’m only saying there’s no question of his orders. I’ll see him certainly.”
“And thank him, I should hope. I dare say he’d have had a lot of money out of you.”
“As to thanking him—however, it’s no good arguing. Leave that for the present. You can trust me to take the right line with Mr. Dingle. When are you coming back? They’re going to meet me about the house if I can take it for three years.”
“Three years is a long time, Jordan. You might want to go to London before that. I dare say your lecture will get you into notice.”
His eye brightened. Here at last was solid ground.
“You’ll be back at the inn before then. There’s a pretty good lot coming. I rather want to rehearse it to you and a man or two from the Mill one evening.”
“I’ll come back, of course, the minute I can; but—I want to tell you, Jordan, I’m not coming to the lecture. I’ve got my reasons.”
“No. You always said we must help and not hinder each other, and that marriage is a co-operation, or nothing. And I’m sure it’s better, where we don’t think alike, to respect each other’s opinions and go our own way.”
“What d’you mean? You’ve said you see eye to eye with me in everything. You’ve never questioned the substance of the lecture.”