"Five months," she answered.
"Who told you?"
"You."
There was a moment's pause. Miranda's foot described more figures on the floor, and with great assiduity.
"I beg your pardon," said Charnock. "It is very humorous, no doubt, but--"
"It is true," interrupted Miranda. "If I had wished to evade you, to deceive you, I should have answered that Mr. Wilbraham brought me the news this morning."
"I should have disbelieved it."
"You could not at all events have disproved it. You would have had not a single word to say." She raised her eyes now and confronted him defiantly.
"Yes," said Charnock, "I admit that," and a great change came over Miranda. She stepped out of her corner. She raised her arms above her head like one waking from sleep. "But I have had my fill of deceptions. I am surfeited. Ask what you will, I'll answer you, and answer you the truth. And for one thing, this is true: you told me Ralph Warriner was alive, that night, at Lady Donnisthorpe's."
"I told you? On the balcony?"