"No," she answered, still thrusting him back. "If you loved me you would help me, you would respect me, you would honour me, you would not try to drag me down."
"Drag you down! Ah, Marion!"
He spoke very unsteadily, then turning his face from her he leaned upon the mantelpiece and watched the fire. A long pause followed. After awhile he looked up again and their eyes met.
"Harry!" said Mrs. Darche quietly.
"Yes," he answered.
"Come and sit beside me on that chair."
"We must forget this morning," said Marion in her natural tone of voice. "We must say to ourselves that all this has never happened and we must believe it. Will you?"
"You ask too much," answered Brett looking away. "I cannot forget that I have said it—at last, after all these years."
"You must forget it. You must—must—for my sake."