'Why shouldn't you?'
'Now child, I know that something is wrong,' and Paul sits down by her side, 'you told me yesterday you had promised to marry him, why has he gone away to-day; you have not already disagreed?'
'I don't see that you have any right to question me like this,' she answers evasively, 'but I suppose I had better tell you that I am not going to marry Mr Dalrymple,' she says it so firmly that Ponsonby can see that she is not joking.
'Why not?' he asks.
'For many reasons,' is the reply. 'For one he has not much to live on, and—there are circumstances which would make it impossible—'
'Whew!—may I ask if the circumstances prevent him from marrying you or you him.'
'I think there is no occasion for me to answer you,' replies Lippa coldly, 'and I will beg you will mention to no one what I have told you either yesterday or just now.'
'I shall write to Dalrymple to-night,' says he meditatively.
'I hope you will do no such thing,' and Miss Seaton rises hastily. 'I think it would be extremely out of place for you to interfere in any way.'
There is a marked emphasis on the 'you' that makes Paul start while he bites fiercely the ends of his moustache, and Philippa walks quickly out of the room, rushes up to her own, and flinging herself on the bed gives way to tears. 'Oh dear, oh dear,' she sobs, 'why does everything go wrong and only a little time ago I was so happy, and now I have hurt Paul's feelings, and ...'