What women could see in him!Well,she would play him the same trick as the other,no doubt;but in the meantime he was a lucky devil!And he brushed up his moustache,having in nine months of Green Street domesticity regained almost all his flesh and his assurance.Despite the comfortable efforts of Emily,Winifred's composure,Imogen's enquiring friendliness,Dartie's showing-off,and James'solicitude about her food,it was not,Soames felt,a successful lunch for his bride.He took her away very soon.
"That Monsieur Dartie,"said Annette in the cab,"je n'aime pas ce type-la!""No,by George!"said Soames.
"Your sister is veree amiable,and the girl is pretty.Your father is veree old.I think your mother has trouble with him;I should not like to be her."Soames nodded at the shrewdness,the clear hard judgment in his young wife;but it disquieted him a little.The thought may have just flashed through him,too:'When I'm eighty she'll be fifty-five,having trouble with me!'
"There's just one other house of my relations I must take you to,"he said;"you'll find it funny,but we must get it over;and then we'll dine and go to the theatre."In this way he prepared her for Timothy's.But Timothy's was different.They were delighted to see dear Soames after this long long time;and so this was Annette!