The grey eyes were lifted at that with an air of startled disclaimer.
“Oh no, no! Quite the contrary!” cried Hope eagerly.
The next moment confusion seized her as she recognised the inference, but the words were spoken beyond recall, and Ralph’s glowing face showed that he was not likely to forget them.
“You darling! Hope, do you mean it? Have we been misunderstanding each other all this time?” He stretched his hand towards hen, then hurriedly drew it back as an old lady put up her pince-nez to regard him from afar. “Hang these people! What a nuisance they are! I’ll tell you a secret, Hope. I fell in love with you that very first evening while you were singing your little song, and I’ve been uncommonly miserable ever since. Well?”
“Well—what?”
“One expects some response to a statement like that!”
Hope gave a soft, contented laugh.
“I—liked you too, and I have been wretched! What made you come here to-day?”
“Truda told me about your interview, and volunteered the intelligence that you seemed relieved to discover that I was not the happy man. She spoke to Avice too, I imagine, for I was asked to join you this afternoon in a very marked manner.”
So Truda had repented her jealous exactions, and had tried to undo the mischief which they had wrought. That was generous of her, but Hope blushed with a discomfited air as she said: