"But—I—I cannot tell him," she said helplessly, dropping her hand.
Hora looked at her curiously.
"No?" he said. "There will be plenty of time for that afterwards. First you have to win him." He caught one of her hands in his own, and something of his own virile power seemed to be transmitted to her. "You are irresistible in some moods, Myra, and, if I were forty years younger and could be foolish again, I would take care that Guy never came near you. If you wish, you may be as certain of winning him as that to-morrow will dawn." His tone denoted absolute conviction.
Myra drew away her hand.
"Good-night, Commandatore," she said. She gave him her cheek, and he brushed it lightly with his lips before she turned away and left him without another word.
"Good heavens!" he muttered to himself, when the door closed behind her. "If I were forty years younger——" He smiled cynically, and added:
"I don't think we have come to the parting of the ways just yet, Guy."
CHAPTER XXII
TEMPTATION
The last evening Guy had spent at Whitsea had seemed interminable. Both his host and hostess had observed his depression, but tactfully took no notice. Then when Guy was alone with Captain Marven he had braced himself to give what explanation he could. He spoke of his love for Meriel—Captain Marven was sympathetic. He spoke of its hopelessness—Captain Marven wondered. Haltingly he revealed that he had considered it his duty to disclose facts concerning himself which had placed an insuperable barrier between them. The initial embarrassment in finding speech once surmounted, he had no difficulty in making clear to his host that it would be best that he should depart by the earliest possible train. Captain Marven was greatly disturbed. Guy's veiled allusions were without meaning to him. He even feared that the young man's brain was disordered, though his demeanour was calm enough to reassure him. He begged Guy to confide in him fully. Guy longed to do so, but refrained. The thought of his father restrained him. Marven was compelled to agree that it was best for him to depart without further speech with Meriel.
So Guy left Whitsea without even seeing Meriel again. He had hungered for another glance from her eyes, another touch of her fingers, but neither had been vouchsafed to him.