“Why should you think it so, cousin? You are a man of honour, are you not? And I have your own word for it your offer was a quite disinterested one.”
“That may be; but to turn it to no better account than riding innocently in company is not the way to make it effective.”
She did not reply for a moment, then looked him straight in the eyes.
“What would you have us do?”
“I could answer for one thing,” he said. His gaze was on a knot of rosebuds fastened in her bosom. “These walls are argus-eyed. Grant me a token from that sweet nest.”
“And earn,” she said, “a credit I do not deserve. Why should I go out of my way so to damn myself?”
“He’ll hear of it.”
“The only one of all that would not care.” A sudden flush came to her face. She leaned forward a little, and spoke three words: “Who is Kit?”
It fairly took him aback. He was so startled that for a moment he could not answer.
“Kit!” he stammered then.