“Did you know—that—woman was engaged to Bilson when I spoke to you in the wood?”
“No!” she answered quickly, but without the sharp resentment she had shown at his brother's suggestion. “I only knew it when Mr. Bilson told me the same evening.”
“And I only knew it when news came of their marriage,” he said bitterly.
“But you must have suspected something when you saw them together in the wood,” she responded.
“When I saw them together in the wood?” he repeated dazedly.
Miss Trotter was startled, and stopped short. Was it possible he had not seen them together? She was shocked that she had spoken; but it was too late to withdraw her words. “Yes,” she went on hurriedly, “I thought that was why you came back to say that I was not to speak to her.”
He looked at her fixedly, and said slowly: “You thought that? Well, listen to me. I saw NO ONE! I knew nothing of this! I suspected nothing! I returned before I had reached the wood—because—because—I had changed my mind!”
“Changed your mind!” she repeated wonderingly.
“Yes! Changed my mind! I couldn't stand it any longer! I did not love the girl—I never loved her—I was sick of my folly. Sick of deceiving you and myself any longer. Now you know why I didn't go into the wood, and why I didn't care where she was nor who was with her!”
“I don't understand,” she said, lifting her clear eyes to his coldly.