Her heart beat fast for a few seconds, so fast that she could not find her voice. Then, almost under her breath, "Blake gave it to me," she said. "Blake Grange."
"Yes?" said Nick. "Yes?"
Suddenly he looked straight at her, and his eyes were alight, fierce, glowing. But she felt a curious sense of scared relief, as if he were behind bars,—an eagle caged, of which she need have no fear.
"We are engaged to be married," she said quietly.
There fell a momentary silence, and a voice cried out in her soul that she had stabbed him through the bars.
Then in a second Nick dropped her hands and stooped to pick up the hockey-stick. His face as he stood up again flashed back to its old, baffling gaiety.
"What ho!" he said lightly. "Then I'm in time to dance at the wedding.
Pray accept my heartiest congratulations!"
Muriel murmured her thanks with her face averted. She was no longer afraid merely, but strangely, inexplicably ashamed.