In her distress, Señora Rojas turned instinctively to Vega.
“Pino!” she exclaimed. “You told me! You told me it was her secret, that she wished to keep it even from her mother, but that you thought it your duty to tell me. Why?” she demanded. “Why?”
Vega, his eyes flaming, in a rage of mortification and wounded vanity threw out his arms.
“My dear lady!” he cried, “it was because I hoped! I still hope,” he protested. “Inez has been poisoned by this man!” He pointed with a shaking finger at Roddy. “He has filled her mind with tales against me.” He turned to Inez. “Is it not true?” he challenged.
Inez regarded him coldly, disdainfully.
“No, it is not true,” she said. “It is the last thing he would do. Because, until this moment, Mr. Forrester thought that what you told him was a fact.” She raised her voice. “And he is incapable of speaking ill of a man—” she hesitated, and then, smiling slightly as though in enjoyment of the mischief she were making, added, “he knew was his unsuccessful rival.”
Furious, with a triumphant exclamation, Vega turned to Señora Rojas.
“You hear!” he cried. “My rival!”
Inez moved quickly toward Roddy. Placing herself at his side, she faced the others.
Her eyes were wide with excitement, with fear at what she was about to do. As though begging permission, she raised them to Roddy and, timidly stretching out her hand, touched his arm. “Mother,” she said, “I am going to marry Mr. Forrester!”