She drew her hand away from his. For a time she was silent, and Nick, watching her, saw that she was thinking deeply. He waited, wondering what would be the fruit of that thought.
At last she turned to him, and looked into his eyes again; but now her expression had changed greatly; there was a depth to it which he had not seen there before.
“Will you believe me if I speak to you with entire frankness?” she asked him.
“Yes, countess. At least I will try to do so.”
“I will be, for once at least, entirely sincere.”
“I believe that you mean what you say.”
“Then listen. This scene between us outrages all precedent, does it not?”
“In a way it does; yes.”
“I invited you to come here with me to this secluded corner of my conservatory. I drew you down upon the seat beside me. I have deliberately made love to you, and I have as deliberately, by my actions, given you permission to take me into your arms—I, who have the power to command the love of almost any man in those rooms yonder. That is true, isn’t it, my friend?”
“Quite true.”