At the low, hurt tone, Nance's antagonistic attitude suddenly deserted her. The expression of her face changed, her figure unbent.
"Clo! Clo! I was a wretch!—I was a wretch! Forgive me! It's only that, knowing Walter is coming back to-morrow, knowing that he hates Lord Deerehurst, and seeing you allow him to go everywhere that you go—— Oh, Clo, I can't properly explain, but sometimes I have felt—afraid. Walter is so—so honourable himself."
Clodagh put out her hand and laid it for a moment upon her sister's.
"When one loves like I do, Nance," she said, "one simply doesn't see anybody but the person that one cares for. Other people don't count—other people don't exist!"
Nance looked down at the hand still resting upon her own.
"Perhaps not," she said wisely, "but the point is that the person one cares for may not be quite so blind."
Clodagh withdrew her hand.
"You mean that Walter might imagine—you mean that Walter might be jealous of Lord Deerehurst?"
"I do mean that."
With a sudden gesture of amusement, Clodagh threw up her head and laughed. Then almost as suddenly her face became grave.