"Come now," said the advocate in his superior way, taking my hand as if
he were going to lead me like a child to my husband, "let us put an end
to this little trouble. His lordship is downstairs and he has
consented--kindly and generously consented--to wait an hour for your
answer. But he must leave the island by the afternoon steamer, and
if. . . ."
"Then tell him he must leave it without me," I said, as well as I could
for the anger that was choking me.
The advocate looked steadily into my face. I think he understood the
situation at last.
"You mean that--really and truly mean it?" he asked.
"I do," I answered, and unable to say or hear any more without breaking
out on him altogether I left the room.