He came into the shed, and picked up the trowel. “You need not jump and squeak!” he said. “It’s only I!”
She took the trowel from him, and laid it down. “Oh, no! I did not mean — That is, I was not expecting — You gave me such a fright! Thank you! See, are they not perfect blooms? I am so proud of them, and mean to place them in Papa’s book-room, for he would only laugh, when I began my gardening, and said my bulbs would come to nothing, because I should forget all about them in a week. He will be regularly set-down!”
“Marianne,” he said, disregarding this speech, “I came because I must and will speak to you!”
“Oh, pray — ! Of course I am always pleased to see you, Martin, but I can’t think what you should want to speak to me about! Don’t look so grave! It is such a lovely day, and when the sun shines I can’t be solemn — you must know I cannot!”
He was not to be diverted; he said: “You have not allowed me to come near you since the night of the ball. I frightened you — I should not have spoken to you then! — but you cannot have doubted my — my sentiments towards you!”
“I hope we have always been good friends,” she said nervously. “Pray do not pain me by speaking of what happened that night! You did not mean it — I am persuaded you did not mean it!”
“Nonsense!” he interrupted, almost angrily. “Of course I meant it! You know that!”
She hung down her head, faltering: “I am afraid I have not always behaved as I should. I didn’t guess — but it was wrong of me, if — if my conduct led you to suppose — that I was in the expectation of receiving a declaration from you.”
He looked at her with a kindling pair of eyes. “It was not so with you a week ago!”
“I was foolish — Mama said I ought not — ”