Dick pulled himself together. She had made a fool of him; that was pretty clear now it was too late to help it.
"I hadn't heard. I congratulate you," he said, stiffly and awkwardly.
"Thanks. Of course that was what I meant when I said my feelings could never change. How odd you must have thought it of me, if you didn't know!"
"Well, I—I didn't quite understand."
"You seemed puzzled and I couldn't understand why. We were both thinking of ourselves too much, I suppose!"
"May I ask if you have been engaged long?"
"Oh, not actually engaged very long, but, like yours, it's been an old acquaintance, and—if you won't betray me—perhaps a little more for ever so long."
Dick was not quite sure whether he believed the lady or not. He ought to have wished to believe her; as a fact, he was extremely reluctant to do so, but Daisy's look was so candid and at the same time so naturally shy, in making her little avowal, that he was almost convinced that the semi-tragedy of their parting scene a few weeks before had been all acting on her side. Alicia could have undeceived him, but, for reasons tolerably obvious, Dick did not rehearse this interview to Alicia or to any one else.
"Ah! here comes Mr. Norburn!" cried Daisy, rosy with delight. "You must congratulate one another."