'As soon as my father can spare me,' she answered.
'I shall have to go down to Messina to give my evidence,' he said. 'When the funeral is over, to-morrow morning, I shall come here, and go on to Messina the next day. May I see you to-morrow afternoon?'
To his surprise, she hesitated. She herself scarcely knew why she did not at once assent naturally.
'Yes,' she said, after a pause. 'I suppose so, if you wish to.'
'I do wish to see you,' he answered. 'You have no reason to doubt that, at all events.'
'You speak as though I had reason to doubt other things you have said.' She watched him keenly, for the one incautious little speech had weakened the effect he had produced with such skill.
'You pretended to doubt,' he answered boldly. 'You asked me if I was telling you the truth about my brother. That was doubting, was it not? You always do. I think you do not even believe that I love you.'
'I only half believe it. Are you going over the discussion we had in Rome, again?'
'No. It would be useless.'
'I think so too,' she said, and her grey eyes grew suddenly cold.