["'Ah, don't be cross!' she said">[
"Anything you care to tell me will of course be of the greatest possible interest," he was beginning, but Betty interrupted him.
"Ah, don't be cross!" she said. "I know I was perfectly horrid yesterday, but I own I was rather hurt."
"Hold back," he adjured her, inwardly, "for Heaven's sake, hold back!"
"You see," she went on, "you and I were such good friends—you'd been so kind—and you told me—you talked to me about things you didn't talk of to other people,—and when I thought you'd told my step-father a secret of yours that you'd never told me, of course I felt hurt—anyone would have."
"I see," said he, beginning to.
"Of course I never dreamed that he'd lied, and even now I don't see—" Then suddenly she did see and crimsoned again.
"He didn't lie," said Vernon carefully, "it was I. But I would never have told him anything that I wouldn't have told you—nor half that I did tell you."
The waiter handed pale meat.