"What!"
"Of course."
"A—a house?"
He looked at her, hesitated, then looking away:
"Either a house or—an addition."
"An addition?"
"If you'll let me, Strelsa—some day."
She understood him then. The painful colour stole into her cheeks, faintly burning, and she closed her eyes for a moment to endure it, sitting silent, motionless, her little sun-tanned hands tightly clasped on her knees.
Then, unclosing her eyes she looked at him, delicate lips tightening.
"I thought our relations were to remain on a higher plane," she said steadily.