"Alone with him?" said Clarice, pretending to jealousy. "Nice for me." Zara stared, and then laughed, as she began to lazily open the letters. "Don't pretend to be angry, Ferdy. You're not fond enough of me for that."
"Not fond, when I am engaged to marry you?"
"Pooh! That's compulsory. You'd be off after that Prudence creature if I'd let you. But I won't; you can make yourself easy on that score." She ran her eyes over the letter she was reading. "I like you well enough, and you are easy to manage. In my business, to be entirely respectable, I must have a husband, so you'll do as well as any one else. Also there is always the two thousand a year. I dare say I could get someone richer, but you'll do--you'll do."
"I'll do," said Clarice, calmly, "thank you," as Zara opened another letter. "What's the matter?" for the dancer suddenly started.
Zara sent so swift and keen a glance in her direction that Clarice fancied that her disguise had been penetrated. But the fear was groundless, for Zara again laughed. "I'm amused at the side you are putting on," she said, calmly, and replacing the letter in its envelope. "You asked me to let you go, and when I refused you cut up rough. Now you are trying to make me think that you love me."
"You are certainly very pretty," said Clarice, wondering what to say to this bold, frank creature, who concealed her feelings so little.
"You thought so once," said Zara, rising and coming to the sofa. "I am pretty still, only you have no eyes to see. Look"--she twitched the large red silk shade from the lamp, and the blaze of white light shone brilliantly upon her beauty--"am I not prettier than that black-browed minx, Prudence Clarke?"
"Don't say a word against Prudence."
"I'll say twenty if I choose," said Zara, throwing herself on the sofa beside Clarice, and taking her hand. "Don't get me into a rage, dear boy. You loved me once, and so deeply that you said my name was written on your heart. It certainly was tattooed on your right arm, just above the wrist"--she rapidly drew up Clarice's shirt-cuff before the girl could stop her. "I see the name isn't there now," said Zara, jeeringly. "You have obliterated it from your arm, as you have driven it from your heart, my dear."
Clarice was startled by this development. "You don't understand," she stammered.