"When?" asked Courtney, sharply.
"To-day—what we were talking about."
"Only to-day?"
"Never before!" exclaimed Helen. "And never again."
"Then—perhaps—only perhaps, mind you," mocked Courtney, "I'll put off speaking to Richard about it—and writing Mrs. Torrey."
Helen could not see any humor in the situation. "Do you honestly believe, Courtney," she asked in deep distress, "that he could have thought of me as if I were—were a—a—bad woman?"
Courtney's eyes were most unpleasant.
"I see you're disgusted and angry with me, dear," said Helen, in tears again. "I know it was unwomanly of me to think of him when he'd said nothing. But I—I couldn't help it. I will help it, though!"
"You think you can?"
Helen showed she was astonished and hurt. "Do you imagine I could care for a man whose way of caring for me was an insult?"