"I'm in the Flying Corps, and your mater didn't tell me anything about you for fear it would get on my nerves."
"Then I had something to do with your coming?" she asked, with a flicker of a flash in her bonny eyes.
"I couldn't very well ease your mother's mind in London, could I? She was against the thing, but I explained there was really no risk. Of course there would not have been any if the steamer hadn't blown up and this Lassen business turned out as it has."
"But it was I who made you tell Rosa?"
"And probably the best thing we could have done if——" and I gestured toward Rosa, who was still pacing the room in troubled perplexity.
I did my utmost to lead Nessa to think I took the position lightly; but I was in reality almost desperately anxious, and every moment of Rosa's indecision added to the disquieting tension of suspense. If she went against us, I could see nothing but a mess of trouble ahead; and I was only too conscious of how big the danger to her would loom in her German-disciplined mind. They all go in deadly fear of the authorities; and it was impossible to deny that, if she were discovered, it might mean the prospect of a spell in prison.
"You haven't said yet that you forgive me, Jack," said Nessa presently.
"Simply because there's nothing to forgive. I should probably have done just what you did," I replied with a smile.
"Do you mean that anything I could have done would have made you take me for a spy, then? I took you for one," she said ruefully.
"The only difference is that I might not have been quite so impatient, and have been ready to listen to your explanation. But don't let us worry over that. Let us think how we're going to get out of it all."