“He kissed her,” said Evanston.
Mr. Carteret started inwardly. Then an illumination came to him. “No,” he said; “she kissed him.”
“As a gentleman,” said Evanston, “I would rather put it the other way.”
“As a gentleman,” said Mr. Carteret, “you must put it the way it was.”
“Does it make any difference?” asked Evanston.
“The difference between right and wrong,” said Mr. Carteret. “Listen to me. You knew, I suppose, that Palfrey wanted to marry Edith’s sister Louise.”
A look of wonder came into Evanston’s face. “No,” he said.
“Well,” said Mr. Carteret, “he did. I know it, and when you saw him at their house and thought he was after Edith, you were barking up the wrong tree.”
Evanston had risen, and was listening apprehensively. His face had grown white.