In the whole of their acquaintance that had been the one isolated instance in which he had failed to be as forbidding as an Army order. But at that moment (and indeed for several months afterwards) that incident in the boat was not to be referred to by either of them. For some obscure reason both of them felt more shy of that memory than any of fresh experiences.
Quickly Olwen got on with this war in the enemy's country. "Hints? I'm sure I don't know what they could have been. That box of chocolates at Les Pins. But I've had other boxes of chocolates given to me——"
"I've no doubt of that" (with grimness).
"So you can hardly call that a 'hint,' Captain Ross!"
"Ah!" he said, impatiently. "It's not what one gives or says to a woman, as you know. It's the manner——"
There was real merriment in Olwen's laugh at this. "The manner! The manner! Well, really! After the scolding and strafing and disapproving! After the way you never came near me if we were out——"
"I did. I did. I sat next you at that concert when Jack Awdas's girl was singing."
"For five minutes; yes, I remember," said Olwen, tilting her chin. "It was the one and only time."
"It was not, pardon me. I was coming to sit by you at Mrs. Cartwright's party, and I wasn't allowed a look in——"
"So you had a look at, most severely," Olwen countered. "At Mrs. Cartwright's was when you were the horridest of all. You just sat opposite to me and glared——"