She laughed merrily.
“There is another thing which no man can do—imagine that he is not an exception to the general rule!”
“I wish you would find something which a man can do, instead of crushing with negatives!” He was growing impatient, and she said abruptly—
“I believe I will tell you.”
He waited, eagerly desiring that she should look at him.
“But I risk a great deal, because you are Mr Forbes’ friend, and you will not believe it possible.”
Alas for friendship when it is first confronted with love! Afterwards it may recover its footing, but in the, as yet, unacknowledged whirl of head and heart, the poor thing gets swept into the vortex. At that moment Wareham could have believed much.
“And it sounds so little when one puts it into words!” the sinner went on hesitatingly. “It must have been that I did not like him well enough—ever. I thought I did. I assure you I was quite glad to discover that I could feel so much, but—”
She paused so long that Wareham repeated the word.
“But?”