“Aren’t you going to sit down?” she asked. “I thought a little fire looked so cosy.”
He did not seem to hear her, for instead of replying he coughed nervously, cleared his throat, and said:
“I’ve something to tell you, Hal—a piece of news.”
She waited, watching him with a puzzled, curious air. Then, without any further preamble, he finished abruptly:
“I’m—I’m—engaged to be married.”
Hal gave a gasp, and became suddenly taut with amazement and incredulity. “You’re—engaged—to—be—married!”
“Yes; you’re not very surprised, are you?”
A sudden, awful fear seemed to envelop and clutch at her.
“Who to?” she asked, a little hoarsely?
“To Doris Hayward.”