"I will wear it gladly," she told him, as he fitted it back upon her finger. "I shall never part with it again."
Her eyes were full of tears, but she would not let them fall, and Nick was too intent upon what he was doing to notice.
"That imp Olga nearly broke her poor little heart when she gave it back to me," he said. "I think I shall have to send her a cable. What shall I say? OMNIA VINCIT AMOR? She is old enough to know what that means. And if I add, 'From Muriel and Nick,' she will understand. A pity she can't come to our wedding! I'd sooner have seen her jolly little phiz than all Lady Bassett's wreathed smiles. She is sure to smile, you know. She always does when she sees me." He broke off with a hideous grimace.
"Don't, Nick!" Muriel's voice trembled a little. "Why does she hate you so?"
"Can't imagine," grinned Nick. "It's a way some people have. Perhaps she will end by falling in love with me. Who knows?"
"Don't be horrid, Nick! Why won't you tell me?" Muriel laid a pleading hand upon his.
He caught it to his lips. "I can't tell you, darling, seeing she is a woman. An unpleasant adventure befell her once for which I was partially responsible. And she has hated me with most unseemly vehemence ever since."
A light began to break upon Muriel. "Was it something that happened on board ship?" she hazarded.
He gave her a sharp look. "Who told you that?"
She flushed a little. "Bobby Fraser. He didn't mention her name, of course. We—we were talking about you once."