“Do you promise, Eris?”
“I? Oh, you know I do. You are laughing at me, Mr. Annan——”
“I’m very serious. I want you to promise to come—whether Mr. Smull gives a party or not——”
“You are laughing at me!”
“You listen to me! I’m never going to let you go again,” he said with an ardour for which, later, he was unable to account. “This is the beginning of a friendship. And that’s a serious business, Eris.”
“Yes,” she whispered solemnly, “it is. How can I ever thank you? I’ve dreamed of it often; but I didn’t dare hope for it.... Do you really feel as I do, Mr. Annan?”
He had come to a point where he was not quite sure of what he did feel. The increasing charm of her was confusing and upsetting him,—he having suddenly to do with a kind of emotion to which he was naturally averse. No woman had ever touched him, sentimentally ... so far.... What Eris was doing to him he did not comprehend.
In a sort of instinctive bravado he leaned toward her and laid his hand firmly over hers.
“You’re very generous,” he said. “I could have gone to see you and I didn’t. That wasn’t friendly of me. Your loyalty makes me ashamed. If you’ll give me another chance to be of practical use——”
Her nervous fingers pressed his in protest: “No—not that! I thought I made it clear——”