And as he made no reply: "Your inference is that I have had some unhappy love affair—some perilously close escape from—unhappy matrimony." She shrugged. "As though a girl could plead only a cause which concerned herself.... Tell me what you are thinking?"
She had risen, and he stood up before her, fascinated.
"Tell me!" she insisted; "I shall not let you go until you do!"
"I was thinking about you."
"Please don't!... Are you doing it yet?" closely confronting him, hands behind her.
"Yes, I am," he said, unable to keep his eyes from her, all her beauty and youth and freshness troubling him, closing in upon him like subtle fragrance in the golden forest dusk.
"Are you still thinking about me?"
"Yes."
The rare sweet laughter edged her lips, for an instant; then something in his eyes checked her. Colour and laughter died out, leaving a pale confused smile; and the straight gaze wavered, grew less direct, yet lost not a shade of his expression which also had changed.
Neither spoke; and after a moment they turned away, walking not very near together toward the house.