"What wasn't?" without turning her head. She brushed her hands free of the crumbs.
"You should have let me know that you were going to sail on this boat."
"You would have run away, then."
"Why?" startled at her insight.
"Because you are a little afraid of me." She faced him, without a smile either on her lips or in her eyes. "Aren't you?"
"Yes. I am afraid of all things I do not quite understand."
"There is not the least need in the world, Mr. Warrington. I am quite harmless. My claws have been clipped. I am engaged to be married, and am going home to decide the day."
"He's a lucky man." He was astonished at his calm, for the blow went deep.
"Lucky? That is in the future. What a lonely thing a gull is!"
"What a lonely thing a lonely man is!" he added. Poor fool! To have dreamed so fair a dream for a single moment! He tried to believe that he was glad that she had told him about the other man. The least this information could do would be to give him better control of himself. He had not been out in the open long enough entirely to master his feelings.