Rivière wondered how Elaine could have worked this miracle for him.
"You've seen Miss Verney, I suppose?" he suggested.
"Yes; and I must admit I was very pleasantly surprised. I had formed an altogether wrong opinion of her."
"Then I'm glad you met.... You see now that your suspicions of her were absolutely unfounded."
Olive knew the sincerity in Rivière's tone. So it was just as she had guessed—the girl had been attempting a daring bluff by her self-accusation.
"Absolutely unfounded," agreed Olive. "That's why I want to forgive and forget."
She gave him one of her sweetest smiles.
Rivière was puzzled. He had an uneasy feeling that something very vital was being kept from him. He noticed his wife's hands all a-quiver, and that fact jarred against the calm of her words.
He answered: "You've changed your attitude towards me very quickly. I take it you only arrived in Wiesbaden to-day?"
"Yes; but it's more than a fortnight since that scene in Larssen's office. I've had time to reflect over things. I was too hasty in what I said then. You must remember that you sprang a surprise on me when you returned in that secret way, and naturally I was put out. I always hate to be taken at a disadvantage, as you ought to know by now.... Clifford, when will you learn to read women as well as you read men? If you'd approached me a little differently; if you hadn't assumed I was hostile to you; if you'd only taken me a little more patiently and pressed your point more insistently——" Olive paused significantly.