"I always knew them," she returned.
"Then you must know how hurt I am—how very hurt—to think that you—well, I mean, it's dreadful—most—er—most dreadful."
"Were you expecting loyalty from me?"
"There are degrees," he replied with a reproachful glance.
"Wonderful," said Auriole. "It's wonderful really." Her voice dropped and she looked him squarely in the eyes. "Tony, you're not really in love with that girl, you know."
He was concealing bewilderment behind the action of mixing a drink, but the statement so startled him that he sent a column of soda water straight into his shoe.
"Look here," he declared, vigorously mopping his sock with a handkerchief. "If you're going to say things like that I simply——"
"You can't love her."
A tinge of scarlet showed upon her white cheeks. Evidently the girl was in earnest. It was useless to flirt with the situation.
"I am not going to attempt to prove it," said Richard very gallantly.