“But why?” he said, “but why?”
She raised her eyes to his patiently, letting him see all he chose, before she dropped them again.
The silence that lengthened between them was heavy, but not hostile. It brooded, continued, till she imagined, she dared to believe, that he was remembering, understanding, filling in gaps.
He gave a great restless sigh at last, and moved away.
“We made a fine old muddle of it all,” he said.
Laura had no words.
“Didn’t we?” he appealed to her.
She gave him a rueful little smile.
“I suppose——” His thoughts sent him with long strides up and down and up and down the room—brought him to a standstill at last before Laura in her chair, thought-bound too, yet more at peace than he.
“I suppose——” he began again: and then, “Laura, what do you think?”