"I do not; I do not."
"But you did."
"Only for a single moment. Oh!"—Bella uttered a cry of despair—"I am only a human being, and I saw you—as I thought—entering the house. I knew that on my account you had quarrelled with my father, so what could I think but that you had killed him? I don't pretend to be an angel." She broke off and sat down, pressing her hands hard together, then looked up with feigned self-control. "We discussed all this before," she said coldly, "did you invite me here to ask me to defend myself again?"
"No. I asked you here to learn from your own lips that you believe me to be guiltless."
"I do. I swear I do." Bella rose in her excitement. "And I ask your pardon for my wicked suspicions."
"Bella!" He sprang forward and caught her hands within his own. "Then you really and truly love me?"
"If you had gone away," she breathed faintly in his ear, "I should have died."
Cyril drew her closely to his breast. "My darling," he whispered, smoothing her hair, "I love you too dearly to leave you. I ask your pardon for my harsh words. On the face of it, I don't see what you could do but suspect me. It was unreasonable for me to ask you to do otherwise. That you believe my mere word, in spite of the strong evidence against me, shows that you love me as dearly and strongly as I love you. So far, all that is right. We trust one another."
"Wholly. Entirely. To the death we trust one another."
"That is well." Cyril sat down in the arm-chair, and drew Bella on to his knees. "Unity is strength. With you by my side I am not afraid."