“I think you are mistaken. He must have been joking.”
For some time she led him on adroitly, talking of many things, in a way to make him wonder at her new and flippant humor. He had never dreamed she could be like this, so tantalizingly close to familiarity, and yet so maddeningly aloof and distant. He grew bolder in his speech.
“How are things going with us?” she questioned, as his warmth grew pronounced. “Uncle won’t talk and Mr. McNamara is as close-mouthed as can be, lately.”
He looked at her quickly. “In what respect?”
She summoned up her courage and walked past the ragged edge of uncertainty.
“Now, don’t you try to keep me in short dresses, too. It’s getting wearisome. I’ve done my part and I want to know what the rest of you are doing.” She was prepared for any answer.
“What do you want to know?” he asked, cautiously.
“Everything. Don’t you think I can hear what people are saying?”
“Oh, that’s it! Well, don’t you pay any attention to what people say.”
She recognized her mistake and continued, hurriedly: