Read this excerpt from "The Gift of the Magi" and answer the question.
White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper. And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.
The phrase "the lord of the flat" most likely refers to Jim’s _____.
A)role as the leader of the family household
B)ability to reassure Della when she feels insecure
C)request that Della assist more with household chores
D)wisdom in understanding a destructive situation