The window that was opened was the casement of the deep embrasured one in the rear wall, and the light curtain before it still swayed occasionally in the night wind.
"I'm afraid I had a row with your aunt, Susy," he began lightly, in his old familiar way; "but I had to tell her I didn't think her conduct to Mrs.Peyton was exactly the square thing towards one who had been as devoted to you as she has been." "Oh, for goodness' sake, don't go over all that again," said Susy impatiently.

"I've had enough of it." Clarence flashed, but recovered himself.
"Then you overheard what I said, and know what I think," he said calmly.
"I knew it BEFORE," said the young girl, with a slight supercilious toss of the head, and yet a certain abstraction of manner as she went to the window and closed it.

"Anybody could see it! I know you always wanted me to stay here with Mrs.Peyton, and be coddled and monitored and catechised and shut up away from any one, until YOU had been coddled and monitored and catechised by somebody else sufficiently to suit her ideas of your being a fit husband for me.

I told aunty it was no use our coming here to--to"-- "To do what ?" asked Clarence.
"To put some spirit into you," said the young girl, turning upon him sharply; "to keep you from being tied to that woman's apron-strings.

To keep her from making a slave of you as she would of me.