Mrs. Harter gave a short laugh.
“I don’t know why I’m giving myself away like this, I’m sure. Only you somehow got things going to-night, just when I was cursing myself for having been such a fool as to come.”
“I’m glad you did come, and I hope you’ll come to the Ambreys.”
He spoke simply and deliberately, and her reply was equally devoid of any hint of conventional intention.
“Why?”
“Because you sound so lonely,” said Captain Patch. “I expect you’d like people better if you saw them more often.”
“One doesn’t generally,” she said with an odd laugh.
“Give it a try, anyhow.”
“I shall. I always found this a dead-alive place, and after the East it would be duller than ever if one didn’t know people.”
“But you must have plenty of friends if your home is here.”