'True, but hardly just.'
'No. She likes him,' and the emphasis was bitter. 'Can a woman be fair towards the man who once loved her?' thought John, but restrained his speech.
'How long has this been?' asked Alda, presently.
'I cannot tell. Quite recently, no doubt, but long enough to give pleasure to your dear brother.'
'Felix knew?'
'So she says.'
He did not understand her look of pain as she thought of Felix's cry of indignation on her light avowal of the insinuation which had parted those two, securing the one for herself and casting the other over to him, but her womanly instinct strove to hide the pang or excuse it with a half truth.
'I can't help thinking of my husband's disappointment. He reckoned on her as the benevolent genius of our family.'
'I have little faith in benevolent genii.'
'Not equal to three per cents, as he would say. You are wealthy enough to be shocked at the worldliness of those who have to live up to a position. However, there is no reason to regret it! They have more in common than appears at first sight.'