“Didn’t you hear?”
“No. I am no eavesdropper, but I know you were talking of me.”
“Ah, then you didn’t hear.”
“I told you I didn’t, but I tell you what I suspect.”
“Then your suspicions are entirely unfounded, Miss Hemster.”
“I don’t believe it, but I’ll say this for you; however much of a beast you may be, you are rather unhandy at a lie; so if you wish to convince me that you are speaking the truth, you must tell me, without taking time to consider, what you were talking about if you were not talking of me.”
All this was uttered at lightning speed.
“I need no time for consideration to answer that question. We were talking of ourselves.”
“What were you saying? Come now, out with it if you dare. I can see by your face you are trying to make up something.”