“Oh, I wish you would stop joking. It’s rather indecent, anyhow.”
“Not a bit of it. And what do you suppose I’ve come into your life for? To take up your education where Mrs. Maundrell and your Orientals left off. I’m part of the course. I’m inevitable. And if I’ve surrendered, why shouldn’t you?”
“Surrender? I repeat that you are not a bit in love with me.”
“And I repeat that I am not so sure. After we parted the other day, I was comfortably certain there was nothing in it for me, that I was as safe as a cat up a tree. But these last two days—well, I began to be uneasy. I wouldn’t look it squarely in the face, but I was haunted with the idea of something wanting. I was uncomfortable away from you, that is the long and the short of it.”
“You merely wanted some one sympathetic to talk to. I shall introduce you to all my old friends.”
“Delighted to meet them. Or—shall I chuck business and take the next steamer?”
He was pale now and staring hard at her, perplexity and some astonishment deepening in his eyes.
“Good idea,” said Julia, coolly.
“You provocative little— Were you ever a coquette?”
“Of course not.”