She drank the beverage when it was brought, and changed her dress. The glass showed her a pale but tranquil face.
'I would have clung to him if he would have let me,' incessantly passed through her thoughts. 'But now he tells me that another can give me the luxury that I have lost. He is right. Goldwin will come this evening; I am sure of it.'
Goldwin did come, and she received him with a mien of ice. Underneath her coldness there was fire enough, but she kept its heat well hidden.
"I came to talk intimately with you," he at length said, "and you treat me as if we had once met, somewhere, for about ten minutes."
The smouldering force of Claire's inward excitement started into flame at these words. "I know with what intimate feelings you came," she replied, meeting his soft glance with one of cold opposition. "You want to tell me that you can set Herbert right with his creditors."
"Yes," he answered, slowly, averting his eyes, "I did have that desire. Is there anything wrong about it?"
"Yes. You should not have come to me. You should have gone to him."
"Why?" he asked.
"Why?" repeated Claire, breaking into a sharp laugh. A moment later she tossed her head with a careless disdain. "I'm not going to tell you why. You know well enough. See Herbert. Ask him if he will let you help him."
"You are very much excited."