"I can't understand why these horrible stories associate Malcolm and me. Why should we have conspired to do such a dreadful thing?"
He stared at her, and then hesitated.
"Because—well, being engaged to him——"
"Engaged to Malcolm!" she exclaimed. "Whatever put that into people's heads?"
"What!" he cried. "Aren't you?"
"Good gracious no! Was that the reason then?"
He seemed too lost in his own thoughts to answer her; but they were evidently not unhappy thoughts this time.
"Who can have started such a story?" she demanded.
"Who started it?" he repeated and then was immersed in thought again; only now there was a grim look on his face.