“I don’t care,” murmured Olivia defiantly, though she cast down her eyes; “besides, I didn’t stop to think.”
“But you ought to stop to think. You haven’t always some one at your elbow to do it for you, as I verily believe a woman ought to have.”
He had fallen into the tone of playful reproach which was natural to him when he was moved to tenderness.
“But I was in the right,” said Olivia.
“I don’t know about that. However, we will leave that unsettled. How came this man to speak to you?”
“He saw that I wanted to get into the churchyard, and so did he.”
“And he told you he was Nellie Mitchell’s brother?”
“Yes,” answered Olivia, who felt the hot blood burning in her face as he mentioned the dead girl’s name.
Both were silent for some moments, during which Mr. Brander regarded the girl intently, trying to fathom the thoughts in her mind.
“And you thought it would interest me to know this?” he asked, very gently.