She tried to rise, but he laid his hand on her arm.
“I want you to listen—this once. I suppose I’ve taken you by surprise. I didn’t mean to do that. I thought you must have seen all along.”
“I never saw!” interrupted Claudia indignantly. “I’m very angry with you.”
“If you don’t care for me now,” he went on, unheeding, “don’t you think you might some day? You like the old place—”
“The place!” She pushed away his hand, and her eyes were flaming. “Did you suppose I should want to marry a place? Oh, what nonsense this all is! If I could make you understand how much I dislike anything of the sort!”
He laughed ruefully.
“I think I understand. I was a fool—as usual.”
“Don’t say ‘as usual’!” exclaimed the girl, still frowning. “I hate to hear you always running yourself down, and I hate to hear you trying to talk sentiment. We are excellent friends. Do be satisfied with that, and be nice, as you were before.”
She waited, but he was silent.
“Well, then, if you won’t,” she said, lifting her eyebrows, “I’d better go back to the cousins.”