She paid no attention to the latter part of his question.
“You’re so unkind,” she said, careful not to overdo a sob. “You don’t seem to understand what a terrible situation this is for me.”
“In what way is it terrible?”
“Don’t you know that a story like this clings to a girl as long as she lives? That among the people I know there will always be gossip—”
“You’re not serious?”
She nodded, still behind her handkerchief, “Yes, I am. This will be something I shall have to live down, as much as you would if you had robbed a bank.”
She now raised her head, and wiping her eyes hard enough to make them a little red, she glanced at him.
Really she thought it would save a great deal of time and trouble, if he could just see the thing clearly and ask her to marry him now.
But apparently his mind did not work so quickly.
“Who will repeat it?” he said. “Not the Usshers—”