"I chose that hour on purpose, so that you shouldn't know."
"Yes, because you thought I should object. But if I don't object—"
"You do," said Garda, laughing; "you're only pretending you don't. Very well, then. Only—you mustn't keep stopping me."
"Stopping you? What do you mean?"
"Oh, stopping, stopping—I mean just that; there's no other word. I want to look at Lucian and talk to him exactly as I please."
"I'm not aware that I've blinded or gagged you," said Margaret, smiling.
"No, but you have a way of saying something that makes a change; you make him either get up, or turn his head away, or else you stop what he's saying. You see, he follows your lead."
"Though you do not."
"He does it from politeness—politeness to you," Garda went on.
"Yes, he has very good manners," said Margaret, dryly.