"I imagined as much," he said quietly.
She stood there, torn by different impulses. Then a passion of annoyance with herself, and anger with him, descended on her.
"Now perhaps you would like to know why I concealed it?" she said, with all the dignity she could command. "Simply, because I had gone out to meet and say good-bye to a person—who is my relation—whom I cannot meet in this house, and against whom there is here an unreasonable—" She hesitated; then resumed, leaning obstinately on the words—"Yes! take it all in all, it is an unreasonable prejudice."
"You mean Mr. Hubert Mason?"
She nodded.
"You think it an unreasonable prejudice after what happened the other night?"
She wavered.
"I don't want to defend what happened the other night," she said, while her voice shook.
Helbeck observed her carefully. There was a great decision in his manner, and at the same time a fine courtesy.
"You knew, then, that he was to be in the park? Forgive my questions.
They are not mere curiosity."