This irritated and worried him.
There came a night when he confessed to Carrie that the business was not doing as well this month as it had the month before.

This was in lieu of certain suggestions she had made concerning little things she wanted to buy.

She had not failed to notice that he did not seem to consult her about buying clothes for himself.

For the first time, it struck her as a ruse, or that he said it so that she would not think of asking for things.

Her reply was mild enough, but her thoughts were rebellious.