“What could not be helped?”
She did not reply at once but looked up at me from under her long lashes, while her feet tapped the floor quickly and irritably. “Of course you are doing this with a purpose,” she said after the pause. “Why? Oh, don’t pretend to misunderstand me. You know as well as I do that you’re entirely changed. It’s so unjust. What have I done? You know that after all you’ve done for me I wouldn’t do anything to anger you for all the world.”
“Don’t persist about my being angry.”
“Well, offended, then, only it’s such a stupid word. Estranged, alienated, changed; any word you like. Something has happened—something has come between us. Do you treat Sylvia like this? It’s maddening.”
“There is no change in me,” I protested.
She laughed. “It’s in me, then, you mean. That’s almost cowardly—at least it would be if any one but you said it.” Then with a start her eyes opened wide; she rose and stared at me with parted lips; and a vivid blush spread all over her face. “I believe I understand. You think in your English way, that I have been too forward, unwomanly, too,—oh!” and she covered her crimson cheeks with her white strenuous fingers.
“Don’t say that, please. Why the time we’ve been together has been the brightest thing in the world to me.”
She took her hands from her face and sat down again staring at the table while the flush died out of her cheeks slowly. “I’ve gone all over that sentence. That ‘has been’ is the clue. Now I see. It’s all over and we are conventional again.” With an exaggerated affectation of a society manner she rose very slowly, held out her hand and simpered: “I hope you will have a pleasant journey, Mr. Anstruther. The weather is still open enough to be excellent for travelling. Will you make my compliments to your sister, and say I hope to see her some day?”
I could not restrain a smile, but not a muscle of her face moved; she kept up the vapid simper. “I will give your message,” I said, and tried to take her hand; but she just let me touch her finger tips and then bowed.
“I am so pleased to have met you; and thank you so much for all you have done. I hope you’ll not take cold from the rain. Colds are such distressing afflictions.” Then another sudden change. With a stamp of her foot she threw her head back and her rich blue eyes sparkled. “Is that better?”