"I shall do my very best to obtain my desires, and of course shall have to pay for all my mistakes."
He looked at her curiously—had she made any mistakes? Not many, he thought, her regard was so serene, and her clever, strong face showed no vacillation. He suddenly faced the fact that he was falling in love with her, not as he had tried to do with Läo—not even as he had once succeeded in doing with Alice Southerwood, long ago. There was a quality in his present feeling which almost frightened him, it was so lawless.
She felt his eyes searching hers burningly, and rose from the sofa.
"Now I am going to have my tea—so good-bye for to-day. I have really enjoyed the pictures."
"May not I come and have tea with you? I am all alone."
"Certainly not—Martha would be scandalised. It does seem so extraordinary that I should have to tell you such things—it shows either great disrespect to me, or else—"
"What?" eagerly. He had risen, too, and was following her as she walked down the long room.
"—That you cannot help yourself."
"Yes—that is it. You have bewitched me in some way—I cannot help myself."