Startled, Kate raised her eyes suddenly and looked him straight in the face.
'What do you mean?' she said.
The abruptness of her question made him hesitate. In a swift instant he regretted having risked himself so far, and reproached himself for being false to his friend; but the temptation was irresistible, and overcome by the tenderness of the day, and irritated by the memory of years of vain longing, he said:
'Even if he did desert you, you might, you would, find somebody better—somebody who'd marry you.'
Kate did not answer and they sat listening to the rattle of the train. At last she said:
'I could never marry anyone but Dick.'
'Why? Do you love him so much?'
'Yes, I love him better than anything in the world; but even if I didn't, there are reasons which would prevent my marrying anyone but him.'
'What reasons?'
A desire that someone should know of her trouble smothered all other considerations, and after another attempt to speak she again dropped into silence.