“I never said so, you know.”
“What do you say now?”
“I say what I said before.”
“Come; was it man or woman?”
“How should I know? I’m ashamed of you, George.”
His strong fingers quivered with an almost irresistible desire to shake the life out of her. Possibly—for she had a liking for him—he might have won the truth from her even now by a show of tenderness; but his temper, exacerbated by a recent disappointment, had got the better of him, and any further finessing was at the moment beyond his power.
“Very well, my lady,” said he, drawing a deep breath. “I shall know how to deal with a traitor whom I had thought a confederate. I have done my part fairly by you——”
“Wait there,” said the girl, stopping him. She had abundance of spirit, and carried the sharpest little set of claws at the ends of her velvet fingers. “You promised to let the King see me.”
“I promised to let you see the King.”
“O, well! isn’t that the same thing—if he’s got eyes? Anyhow, you haven’t done it.”