And she gave him her hand loyally. And he thought it was a very slim and thrilling hand to shake.
“Do you know,” he said, “it was exceedingly naughty of you to go and credit me with being such a monster.”
“Well,” she replied, “perhaps I never did really believe it.” She smiled at him courageously. “But I was angry with you for objecting to the match. I suppose you won’t deny that you have objected to the match.”
“No,” he said, “I shan’t deny that.”
“And your reasons?”
“I could not disclose them to Mr. Ilam’s cousin,” he answered. “And perhaps they are not as strong as they were. I am beginning to think that just as you accused me wrongly, so I have accused your cousin wrongly. But I can assure you I had better reason than you. Ah, Miss Dartmouth,” he added, “it may well occur that you will infinitely regret ever having come into the City.”
“Never!” she said positively.
“That’s very polite,” he commented.
“We are getting away from the point,” she remarked in a new tone. “I have left your sister in a pitiable state. If you have not had anything to do with the disappearance of Cousin Ilam, who has?”
“He may have disappeared voluntarily,” said Carpentaria.