CHAPTER VII
AN APPOINTMENT
Virginia seemed to find speech impossible, and it seemed to him that he could see the tears gathering in her eyes.
"Forgive me," he said, leaning over the table towards her. "I ought to have asked you differently, I know, but I am so afraid that you will slip away, as you did before, and that I shall lose sight of you again. You want some one to take care of you, dear, and I am going to do it."
She looked at him with swimming eyes, and he laid his hand softly for a moment upon hers.
"Mr. Mildmay," she said, "you must not say such things to me. It is quite impossible, entirely and absolutely impossible."
"I don't believe it," he answered calmly. "You will have to give me some very good reasons before I go away again and leave you."
"Reasons!" she faltered. "Oh! there is every reason in the world. You don't know me, or anything about me, and you know very well that I am doing things here that no nice girl would do."
"I know nothing of the sort," he answered, smiling, "because you are a nice girl. But, on the other hand, of course, I am glad to hear that your search, whatever it may be, is over. You can tell me about it or not, just as you please. Perhaps I may be able to help. Perhaps you would like to tell me. If not, it doesn't matter."
She found speech difficult, almost impossible. He seemed so sure of his position, so absolutely confident that there could be nothing which could possibly separate them.