"Really?"
Gloria held out her two hands to meet him. He nodded as he took them.
"That is better than anything you have ever said to me." She drew him to her.
It was natural, for she was thinking how Reanda had calmly gone back to his work that morning, without so much as asking for her. The contrast was too great and too strong, between love and indifference.
They went into the work-room together, and Gloria sat down on one of the rush chairs, and told Griggs what she had done. He walked slowly up and down while she was speaking, his eyes on the pattern of the old carpet.
"I might have stayed," she said at last. "The servants did not even know that I had been out of the house."
"You should have stayed," said Griggs. "I ought to say it, at least."
But as he spoke the mask softened and the rare smile beautified for one instant the still, stern face.