“Well, what would have happened?” she asked, bending toward him, her elbow on her knee, her chin in her palm, as was her way.
“For one thing, you wouldn’t have sat here all evening in this hideous, stiff room. You have a comfortable sitting room upstairs where you could have taken your ease while the Colonel prepared his oration.”
“I don’t believe I understand,” she said. “You know I am a very dull person, Wayne; I am not a bit—what do you call it?—subtle?”
“You’re a mighty pretty woman; there’s no doubt of that. And knowing I think so and would be likely to mention it, you stayed down here to be sure not to miss me when I came home.”
“Please don’t speak to me like that; it is not what I expected of you. I told you when I came here that I meant to be very, very good. More than that, I asked you to help me. I threw myself on your mercy!”
The tears were bright in her eyes and she leaned back and turned her face away from him.
He rose with a laugh.
“For heaven’s sake, don’t cry! It’s bad for the complexion. Let’s dig in the pantry for something to eat.”
“Splendid!” she cried, jumping up.
He tried to take her hand, but she brushed by him and ran toward the dining room, where she bade him turn on the lights and wait while she foraged.