“No. It sounds absurd.”
“It is absurd,” Jake said firmly.
Neither spoke for the next minute, and then Dick frowned at a disturbing thought. Could the lad understand Clare so well unless he loved her?
“That picture must have taken some time to paint. Did Miss Kenwardine often pose for you?”
“No,” said Jake, rather dryly; “in fact, she didn’t really pose at all. I had trouble to get permission to make one or two quick sketches, and worked up the rest from memory.”
“Yet she let you sketch her. It was something of a privilege.”
Jake smiled in a curious way. “I think I see what you mean. Miss Kenwardine likes me, but although I’ve some artistic taste, I’m frankly flesh and blood; and that’s not quite her style. She finds me a little more in harmony with her than the rest, but this is all. Still, it’s something to me. Now you understand matters, perhaps you won’t take so much trouble to keep me out of Santa Brigida.”
“I’ll do my best to keep you away from Kenwardine,” Dick declared.
“Very well,” Jake answered with a grin. “You’re quite a good sort, though you’re not always very smart, and I can’t blame you for doing what you think is your duty.”
Then he set to work on his calculations and there was silence on the veranda.