Cleone leaned on the nearest thing to her for support. It chanced to be Sir Deryk, but she was past caring.
"James, you know I—never meant it!"
Suddenly Philip's lips twitched. Brenderby was bubbling over with ill-suppressed merriment.
"My dear, this is most serious! Did you, indeed, accept Mr. Winton's proposal?"
"Yes, but he knows I did not mean it! I—"
"Cleone, do you tell me you accepted him and—"
"Yes, she did! And I hold her to her promise!"
Cleone's knees threatened to give way.
"James, I can't marry you! I won't marry you!"
"I hold you to your promise!" repeated James, almost beside himself.