"I am not a school-girl, I think, that I should be asked questions of that kind."
"But on your answer depends mine."
She looked at him in amazement. His gentle kindness had disappeared. She saw, instead, that Jacob Delafield whom her instinct had divined from the beginning behind the modest and courteous outer man, the Jacob Delafield of whom she had told the Duchess she was afraid.
But her passion swept every other thought out of its way. With dim agony and rage she began to perceive that she had been duped.
"Mr. Delafield"--she tried for calm--"I don't understand your attitude, but, so far as I do understand it, I find it intolerable. If you have deceived me--"
"I have not deceived you. Lord Lackington is dying."
"But that is not why you were at the station," she repeated, passionately. "Why did you meet the English train?"
Her eyes, clear now in the cold light, shone upon him imperiously.
Again the inner voice said: "Speak--get away from conventionalities. Speak--soul to soul!"
He sat down once more beside her. His gaze sought the ground. Then, with sharp suddenness, he looked her in the face.