There was a note of finality in his tone which affected her strangely. It was not until then that she guessed the truth.
“You—you care for Jane Loring?”
“Yes,” he said almost inaudibly. “I do.”
He owed her that frankness.
“Thanks,” she said quietly. “It’s strange I shouldn’t have guessed. I—I didn’t think you cared for any one. You never have, you know. And it never entered my head that you could be really interested in—in a girl like Jane. Even when I learned that you had been together in the woods, I couldn’t believe—I don’t think I quite believe it yet. She’s hardly your style——”
She stopped and he remained silent, his head averted.
“Funny, isn’t it?” she went on. “Larry Kane wants to marry me, I want to marry you, and you want to marry Jane. Now if Jane would only fall in love with Larry!”
She laughed and drew away from him, for over his head she saw the figures of Jane Loring and Coleman Van Duyn who had just entered the kitchen. Jane had glanced just once in their direction and then had turned aside. Nina glanced at Phil. He was unconscious of the presence of the others—it almost seemed, unconscious of herself.
All the mischief in her bubbled suddenly to the surface. Jane Loring at least should see——