"I came back--because you are free!"
She made a gesture of impatience and dissent.
"You do not mean to say you will continue your suspicion in the face of my denial, in the face of my horror at the mere thought?"
"But why should I take your unsupported word? If you are innocent, why were you so horrified at the mere thought of inquiry?"
"But, good heavens! Mrs. Davenport, you did not for a moment imagine I was afraid of inquiry into anything which occurred in February? I thought the inquiry to which you referred had reference to some old transactions between me and Mr. Davenport?"
"What were these transactions?"
"I beg of you not to ask. What good can it do to go into matters so far back? You would find my answers of no advantage to you."
"Were they of a business character?"
"Purely of a business character, I assure you."
"And they would not bear the light?"