“They point to nothing.”
“Then you take advantage of her innocence to amuse yourself with her.”
“What if she be not quite so innocent as you would have her.”
“My lord, you are a scoundrel.”
For one moment Forgue seemed to wrestle with an all but uncontrollable fury; the next he laughed—but it was not a nice laugh.
“Come now,” he said, “I’m glad I’ve put you in a rage! I’ve got over mine. I’ll tell you the whole truth: there is nothing between me and the girl—nothing whatever, I give you my word, except an innocent flirtation. Ask herself.”
“My lord,” said Donal, “I believe what you mean me to understand. I thought nothing worse of it myself.”
“Then why the devil kick up such an infernal shindy about it?”
“For these reasons, my lord:—”
“Oh, come! don’t be long-winded.”