For the moment Nancy was angry with Trevanion. She wanted to defend Bob. She wanted to tell him that Bob was braver than he. But she could not. She had spoken truly when she said that she was ashamed of herself for having allowed herself to think of him.
"Give me even the shadow of a promise," went on Trevanion, "and all thought of him will be for ever gone."
"No," said Nancy, "I can promise nothing—now."
"But will you try—to—to care for me?"
"Yes," said the girl, "I'll promise that, if—if it will be of any comfort to you."
"I don't fear now," cried Trevanion. "Everything will be right. What you have been telling me is nothing—just a passing fancy which will be—nothing. Give me a kiss, Nancy, and——"
"No," said the girl, and she shrank back almost instinctively, "not that; but the other—yes, I'll promise to try."
"I'm the happiest man in England with only that," laughed Trevanion; "what shall I be when—when the war is over, and I come back to claim my own. I shall find you waiting for me, shan't I?"
"I—I don't know. I may not come back. It what the papers say is true, even the nurses are not safe."
"But have you really settled to go abroad as a nurse?"