He cringed under her tone.
"I'll bring him to you," said Donnegan desperately. "I'll bring him here so that you can take care of him."
"You'll take him away from Lord Nick—and Lebrun—and the rest?" And it was the cold smile of her father with which she mocked him.
"I'll do it."
"You play a deep game," said the girl bitterly. "Why would you do it?"
"Because," said Donnegan faintly. "I love you."
Her hand had been on the knob of the door; now she twitched it open and was gone; and the last that Donnegan saw was the width of the startled eyes.
"As if I were a leper," muttered Donnegan. "By heaven, she looked at me as if I were unclean!"
But once outside the door, the girl stood with both hands pressed to her face, stunned. When she dropped them, they folded against her breast, and her face tipped up.
Even by starlight, had Donnegan been there to look, he would have seen the divinity which comes in the face of a woman when she loves.