“I don’t see why we should be talking of these things at all,” he went on. “I love you; and I believe that deep down in your heart you love me. You’re not going to say you don’t, Nan?”
“You know I’ve always liked you a lot, Billy,” she answered evasively.
“Before Farley got the idea that I wanted to marry you for his money and abused me and made you unhappy, you cared; you can’t deny that. And I don’t believe his hatred of me really made any difference.”
It was the wiser course not to abuse Farley. He felt that he was winning her to a yielding mood, and his hopes rose.
She withdrew her hand suddenly and bent her eyes upon him with disconcerting intentness.
“Please tell me, Billy, the real truth about your trouble with Fanny?”
The abruptness of her question startled him. The color deepened in his face and he blinked under her searching gaze. She had never before spoken of his trouble with his former wife.
“That,” he said rallying quickly, “is all over and done. It hasn’t anything to do with you and me.”
“Yes, Billy; I think it has! If you’re really serious in wanting to marry me, I think I ought to know about that.”
“I don’t see how you could doubt my seriousness; you’ve been the one serious thing in my whole life!”