oved
his urbanity vanished and his talk was very blunt.

"We'll let Grace's notion go. My form is not my step-children's, but I
try to moderate my remarks about women. We'll admit Grace is a woman,
although I sometimes doubt. Anyhow, you are not a man; you haven't a
drop of warm blood in your veins! You're a curled and scented fine
lady's lap-dog pup!"

"I don't see much use in talking about my qualities, sir."

"You don't see," Cartwright agreed. "That's your drawback! You see
nothing that's rude and human; you're afraid to look. All that's obvious
is, Barbara must not come home to throw an awkward reflection on Grace's
Puritanical virtue. People might find out something and talk? If anybody
talks while I'm about, I'll ram the implication down his throat! You
don't see, or perhaps you don't mind, the drawbacks to separating
Barbara from her mother and banishing her from home? She's trustful,
rash, and fiery, and not a statue like Grace. Anyhow, Barbara is coming
back, and if you don't approve, I'll expect you to be resigned. Now get
off before I let myself go!"

Hyslop went. One gained nothing by arguing with a brute like Cartwright,
and since Mrs. Cartwright's infatuation for her husband could not be
disturbed Hyslop knew he must acquiesce. Cartwright, rather braced by
the encounter, went to the library and wrote some letters to Liverpool.
A few days afterwards, he packed his trunk and was driven to the station
in Mrs. Cartwright's car. Grace got up an hour earlier than usual in
order to see him off, and when she brought his scarf and gloves
Cartwright accepted her ministrations with politeness. Although he knew
she disapproved of him, she thought her duty was to do things like this,
and he played up.

When the throb of the car was getting faint she met Mortimer going to
the lake. He stopped and looked up at the valley, which was streaked by
a thin line of dust.

"For three or four weeks we'll be undisturbed," he said. "I admit I like
Carrock better when my step-father is away."

"Barbara's coming back with him," Grace remarked. "In some ways, her
return will be awkward, but perhaps she ought to come."

Mortimer gave her a surprised glance. "This was not your view!"

"Oh, well, I have been thinking. Barbara is rash and very young. In
Canada, she would be free from all control, and one must not weigh
drawbacks against one's duty. Perhaps Cartwright takes the proper line,
although of course it costs him nothi