Wishing to escape any further conversation with the object of her detestation, and seeing her opportunity now that the dishes were washed, Nora started to empty the dishpan in the sink in the pantry. But Gertie, who divined her motive and wished the sport to continue, forestalled her.
'I'll do it,' she said. 'You finish wiping the dishes.'
'It's very wise of you to go to an agency,' said Nora in answer to his last question. 'A girl's more likely to marry you when she's only seen you once than when she's seen you often.'
'It seems to make you quite mad, the thought of me marrying!' with a wink at the others.
'You wouldn't talk about it like that unless you looked down upon women. Oh, how I pity the poor wretched creature who becomes your wife!'
'Oh, I guess she won't have such a bad time--when I've broken her in to my ways.'
'And are you under the impression that you can do that?'
'Yep.'
'You're not expecting that there'll be much love lost between you and the girl whom you--you honor with your choice?'
'What's love got to do with it?' asked Taylor in affected surprise. 'It's a business undertaking.'
'What!' Nora's eyes were dark with indignation and anger.
'None at all. I give her board and lodging and the charm of my society. And in return, she's got to cook and bake and wash and keep the shack clean and tidy. And if she can do that, I'll not be particular what she looks like.'
'So long as she's not cock-eyed,' Reggie reminded him.
'No, I draw the line at that.'
'I beg your pardon,' said Nora with bitter irony; 'I didn't know it was a general servant you wanted. You spend a dollar and a half on a marriage license and then you don't have to pay any wages. It's a good investment.'
For the first time she seemed to have pierced the enemy's armor.
'You've got a sharp tongue in your head for a girl, Nora.'
'Please don't call me Nora.'
'Don't be so silly, Nora,' said her brother with a trace of irritation. 'It's the custom of the country. Why, they all call me Ed.'
'I don't care what the custom of the country is. I'm not going to be called Nora by the hired man!'
'Don't you bother, Ed,' said Frank, apparently once more restored to his normal placidity; 'I'll call her Miss Marsh if she likes it better.'
But Nora was not to be pacified. He wouldn't have dared take such a liberty with her had he not been on the eve of going away for good, she told herself. It was a last shot from a retreating enemy. Well and good. He should hear, if for the last time, what she thought of him!
'I should like to see you married to someone who'd give you what you deserved. I'd like to see your pride humbled. You think yourself very high and mighty, don't you? I'd like to see a woman take you by the heartstrings and wring them till you screamed with pain.'
'Oh, Nora, how violent you are!' said Ed.
'You're overbearing, supercilious and egotistic,' went on Nora bitingly.
'I'm not sure as I know what them long words means, but I guess they ain't exactly complimentary.'
'I guess they ain't,' she mimicked.
'I'm sorry for that.' Taylor straightened himself a little in his chair. His blue eyes seemed to have caught a little
