"I'm very sorry, Owen, I'm sorry to disappoint Lady Ascott, who is a kindly soul, but—well, it raises the whole question up again. When one has made up one's mind to live a certain kind of life—"
"But, Evelyn, who is preventing you from living up to your ideal? The people here don't interfere with you? Nobody came knocking at your door last night?"
"No."
"I didn't come, and I was next door to you. Didn't it seem strange to you, Evelyn, that I should sleep so near and not come to say good-night? But I knew you wouldn't like it, so I resisted the temptation."
"Was that the only reason?"
"What do you mean?"
"Of course, I know you wouldn't do anything that would displease me; you've been very kind, more kind than I deserve, but—"
"But what?"
"Well, it's hard to express it. Nothing happened to prevent you?"
"Prevent me?"