She made no reply. Tor’s manner was so conclusive, that it seemed useless to dispute the point.
‘You are a very wonderful man,’ she said, after a short pause.
‘Sometimes I think so myself,’ answered Tor, with a smile; ‘but I assure you, Miss Meredith, I am not deceiving you. My revelation to your father, when the time for it arrives, shall not cause him any disappointment or agitation.’
‘And when will that moment arrive?’
‘That I cannot tell. It may be soon, or may be late—probably not just yet; but it depends upon circumstances I cannot now explain. Some day you shall know all, and in the meantime I must ask you to trust me!’
Roma gave him her hand with her rare sweet smile, as she said:
‘I should be ungrateful indeed, if I did not.’
Tor looked down at her as he stood holding her hand, and said:
‘We shall have to be good friends after this, I think, Roma. Try and feel towards me as if I were your big brother, and I will be a brother to you as far as I know how to play the part. I never had a sister—I mean, practically, until I came back a month or so ago—so that I am new to the part; but I will play it as well as I can. And you must let me help you with your father, so far as lies in my power, and you must not mind deceiving him a little while for his good.’
‘No, I dare not do otherwise; and I should like to feel that you were a sort of brother to me—Philip.’