“Inez! You’ve never called me that before! Why do you call me that?”
“Oh Ry, you little fool—can’t you see?”
She looked into his eyes, the delicious smile twitching at the corner of her mouth, while tears sparkled in her eyes.
“Inez—but I was—till yesterday I was your brother!”
“No, never, never! I’ve always known you weren’t.”
“And yet . . . ?”
Inez nodded vigorously, a sob still choking her voice.
“Yes, and yet . . . and yet. . . . Aren’t I a fool, Ry?”
Ryland looked deeply into her lovely face. It was more than a minute before he spoke.
“Inez, I’m the most unworthy beast any girl could love—and especially you. I’m a waster, a liar, a dissolute rotter, a fool, pretty nearly a thief, pretty nearly everything—except what, for a minute, I thought you thought I was. How can you love me?”