“I didn’t like Mr. Linburne or Mrs. Almar at all, Max. She kept asking me the greatest number of questions about you and the story of your life. What interest has she in you, I wonder?”
“None,” answered Riatt, but added rather quickly, “And what did you think of Linburne?”
“I couldn’t bear him, though I own he’s nice looking. But he told Mrs. Almar a story—I could not help hearing—I never heard such a story in my life.”
“I gather it did not shock Mrs. Almar.”
“She knew it already. ‘Lee,’ she said, ‘that story is so old that even my husband knows it,’ and every one laughed.”
“I’m afraid you did not enjoy yourself.”
“I like Mr. Hickson very much. And I thought Miss Fenimer more beautiful than before. He was telling me what a wonderful nature she has. He said he had never seen her out of temper.”
“Yes, Hickson’s crazy about her,” said Riatt casually.
“Dear Max, why do you try to deceive yourself about your own feeling for her?”
“Deceive myself,” he said angrily. “If you knew the truth, my dear Dolly!” His heart stood still. Deceive himself! What an insulting phrase. He repressed a strong impulse to propose on the instant to Dolly. That would show her how indifferent he was to Christine. It would assure him, too.