"What was my position then?" he asked. "I remembered what you'd said. I saw the pull I'd given you. If I'd told you before, you'd have had nothing to do with me. You'd have taken a tragic delight in going back to your little house. I should have given you your revenge."
"So you cheated me? It shows the sort of person you are!"
He went on as though he had not heard her indignant ejaculation.
"I had fallen in love with you—with you and with the idea of your being here. I couldn't have anybody else at Blent, and I had to have you. It was impossible for me to turn you out. I don't think it would have been gentlemanly."
"It was more gentlemanly to marry me on false pretences?"
"Well, perhaps not, but a form of ungentlemanliness less repulsive to me—Oh, just to me personally. I don't know whether you quite understand yet why I
gave up Blent to you. Just the same feeling has made me do this—with the addition, of course, that I'm more in love with you now."
"I don't believe it, or you'd have trusted me—trusted my love for you."
"I've trusted it enormously—trusted it to forgive me this deceit."
"If you had come and told me——"