"Oh Hugh," she called softly, "will you chop some ice, please, for the water."
She handed him the ice pick and laughed nervously. The door was half open and Keegan caught a glimpse of the novelist pretending a vast interest in the arrangement of the sandwiches on the plates.
"What's the matter, Hugh? You seem so ... so funny," Fanny whispered close to him.
His heart contracted. He was afraid. If he dared he would put his arms around her. But after all the things he had confessed to her in their walk.... A longing to weep almost brought tears out of his eyes. He stood with his mouth open and stared as in a dream at a blurred vision.
"Fanny," he muttered, "I'm sorry...."
"About last night," she whispered. He nodded.
"But Hughie, you said you wouldn't ever again...."
He felt despair.
"If I only hadn't ... I would...." He stopped.
"Would what, Hughie?" Fear halted him definitely. He could go no further. A misery clouded his thought. He felt her hand touching his arm.