Part 14 (1/2)

”_He_ doesn't!” Leslie said, warmly. ”All Acton Liggett thinks of is his own comfort--that's all! I do everything for him--I pay half the expenses here, you know, more than half, really, for I always pay for my own clothes and Milly, and lots of other things. And then he'll do some _mean_, ugly thing that just makes me furious at him--and he'll walk out of the house, perfectly calm and happy!”

”He's always had his own way a good deal,” Norma who knew anything except sympathy would utterly exasperate Leslie conceded, mildly.

”Yes,” Leslie agreed, flus.h.i.+ng, and stiffening her jaw rather ominously, ”and it's just about time that he learned that he isn't always going to have it, too! It's very easy for him to have me do anything that is hard and stupid----Do you suppose,” she broke off, suddenly, ”that _I'm_ so anxious to go to the Duers' dinner? I wouldn't care if I never saw one of them again!”

Norma gathered that a dinner invitation from the Duers had been the main cause of the young Liggetts' difference, and framed a general question.

”That's Sat.u.r.day night?”

”Friday,” Leslie amended. ”And what does he do? He meets Roy Duer at the club, and says oh, no, he can't come to the dinner Friday, but _Leslie_ can! He has promised to play bridge with the Jeromes and that crowd. But Leslie would _love_ to go! So there I am--old lady Duer called me up the next morning, and was so sorry Acton couldn't come! But she would expect me at eight o'clock. It's for her daughter, and she goes away again on Tuesday. And then”--Leslie straightened herself on the couch, and fixed Norma with bright, angry eyes;--”then Spooky Jerome telephoned here, and said to tell Acton that if he couldn't stir up a bridge party for Friday, he'd stir up something, and for Acton to meet him at the club!”

Norma laughed.

”And did you give Acton that message?” she inquired.

”No, indeed, I didn't--that was only this morning!” Leslie said, in angry satisfaction. ”I telephoned Mrs. Duer right away, and said that Acton would be so glad to come Friday, and if Acton Liggett doesn't like it, he knows what he can do! You laugh,” she went on with a sort of pathetic dignity, ”but don't you think it's a rotten way for a man to treat his wife, Norma? Don't you, honestly? There's nothing--nothing that I don't give way in--absolutely nothing! And I don't believe most men----Oh, h.e.l.lo, Doris,” Leslie broke off, gaily, as there was a stir at the door; ”come in! Come in, Vera--aren't you girls angels to come in and see the poor old sick lady!”

Norma was still lingering when Acton came home, an hour later. She heard his buoyant voice in the hall, and began to gather her wraps and gloves as he came to the tea table.

”Acton,” Leslie said, firmly, ”the bridge party is off for Friday, and you're going to Mrs. Duer's with me, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself!”

”Whew! I can see that I'm popular in the home circle, Norma!” Acton said, leaning over the big davenport to kiss his wife. ”How's my baby?

All right, dear, anything you say goes! I was going to cancel the game, anyway. Look what Chris brought you, Cutey-cute! Say, Norma, has she been getting herself tired?”

Leslie, instantly mollified, drew his cold, firm cheek against hers, and looked sidewise toward Norma.

”Isn't he the nice, big, comfy man to come home to his mad little old wife?” she mumbled, luxuriously.

”Yes,” Acton grumbled, still half embracing her, ”but you didn't talk that way at breakfast, you little devil!”

”Am I a devil?” Leslie asked, lazily. And looking in whimsical penitence at Norma, she added, ”I _am_ a devil. But you were just as mean as you could be,” she told him, widening her eyes and shaking her head.

”I know it. I felt like a dog, walking down town,” her husband admitted promptly. ”I tried to telephone but you weren't here!”

”I was at Aunt Annie's,” Leslie said, softly. Her husband had slipped in beside her on the wide davenport, and she was resting against his shoulder, and idly kissing the little rebel lock of hair that fell across one temple. ”He's a pretty nice old husband!” she murmured, contentedly.

”And she's a pretty nice little wife, if she did call me some mean names!” Acton returned, kissing the top of her head without altering her position. Norma looked at them with smiling contempt.

”You're a great pair!” she conceded, indulgently.

Leslie now was free to examine, with a flush and a laugh, the microscopic pair of beaded Indian moccasins that Chris had brought from Florida. Norma asked about Chris.

”Oh, he's fine,” Acton answered, ”looks brown and hard; he had a gorgeous time! He said he might be round to see Grandma to-morrow morning!”

”I'll tell her,” Norma said, getting up to go. She left them still clinging together, like a pair of little love-birds, with peace fully restored for the time being.

Mrs. Melrose's car had been waiting for some time, and she was whirled home through the dark and wintry streets without the loss of a second.

Lights were lighted everywhere now, and tempered radiance filled the old hall as she entered it. It was just six o'clock, but Norma knew that she and the old lady were to be alone to-night, and she went through the long drawing-room to the library beyond it, thinking she might find her still lingering over the teacups. Dinner under these circ.u.mstances was usually at seven, and frequently Mrs. Melrose did not change her gown for it.