"What were you in such a hurry for? Was that the reason—what dad says—that you were afraid you wouldn't—hook me?"
I looked him hard in the eye. Though we were speaking in the lowest possible tones, there was a sudden stillness in the room, as though every one was hanging on my answer.
"Have I ever given you cause to suspect me of that?" I asked, after thinking of what I ought to say.
Three words oozed themselves out like three drops of his own blood. They were the distillation of two years' uncertainty:
"Well—sometimes—yes."
Either he dropped my wrist or I released myself. I only remember that I was twisting the sapphire-and-diamond ring on my finger.
"What made you think so?" I asked, dully.
"A hundred things—everything!" He gave a great gasp. "Oh, little Alix!"
Turning away suddenly, he leaned his head against the mantelpiece, while his shoulders heaved.
It came to me that this was the moment to make an end of it all; but I saw Mrs. Rossiter get up from her conference with Mildred and come forward. She did it leisurely, pulling up one shoulder of her décolleté gown as she advanced.