His heart hardens again. Is this duplicity on her part? How small, how innocent, how girlish, how—reluctantly this—beautiful she looks! and yet——
"About Tom, then?"
"About Mr. Hescott"—coldly—"yes."
"What! you don't like him?" questions Tita, abandoning her lounging attitude, and leaning towards him.
"So far as he is concerned," with increasing coldness, "I am quite indifferent to him; it is of you I think."
"Of me! And why of me? Why should you think of me?"
"I hardly know," somewhat bitterly; "except that it is perhaps better that I should criticise your conduct than—other people."
"I don't know what you mean!" says Tita slowly.
Her charming face loses suddenly all its vivacity; she looks a little sad, a little forlorn.
"There is very little to know," says Rylton hurriedly, touched by her expression.