“Once—only once. But I thought that might have been an accident.”
Oh, Carin, what beautiful eyes he has! He took my hands in his there across the table. We knew quite well that Aunt Lorena could see us from where she sat, but we did not care at all.
“Did you promise my uncle that you would not make it hard for me?”
“No. I said if you wished it I would go away.”
“Forever?”
“Not at all. For the present. I said I would go away and give you a chance to make up your mind. Your uncle and aunt wish to take you to Europe with them. They want you to travel for a year or two. You will meet other men, men whose lives and training will make them fitter companions for you than I can ever be.”
“Keefe!” I said sharply. “Don’t muddle up facts like that. Your early training was propriety itself compared with mine.”
“Nevertheless, now you are a very rich woman. You bear the name of an old and distinguished family.”
“Not half so distinguished as the O’Connors,” I laughed. “Weren’t they kings in Ireland once?”
“But my name is not even O’Connor, as you know.”