"If you command it," he coolly answered.
"I do. We will have our parting this afternoon. He can remove to
his old quarters at the hotel. I will receive you alone, and we
will arrange for the divorce and our marriage."
"Promptly at seven," he said, crushing her hand in his parting
grasp.
Gordon ate his dinner in obstinate quiet, now and then looking at
his wife's dazzling beauty with fevered yearning in his eyes.
When she rose from the table he said:
"I wish to speak with you in the library, my dear."
"Very well, I'll be down directly," she carelessly replied.
He paced the floor for half an hour, and rang for the maid.
"Tell your mistress I am waiting," he said, abruptly.
The maid did not return, and his anger grew with each lengthening
minute.
At the end of an hour, Kate appeared.
He fixed her with a look of angry amazement.
"Well, what is it?" she asked, impatiently.
"Why did you keep your maid and send no answer to me?"
"I was writing a letter. Are you a king? What is it?" she repeated,
coldly.
"I wish to say something of the utmost importance both to you and
to me, and to another man," he said slowly, in a voice pulsing with
a storm of emotion.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313