'Do you wish me to tell you?' he said, looking at her fully as he stood opposite to her; and there was a gleam in the keen blue eyes that made her suddenly avert her face. 'Is it possible that all these years you have not known what you have been to me—that you have not guessed my love?'
Then for the first time in her life she shrank from him.
'What do you mean?' she said helplessly. 'We have always loved each other; you have been like my own brother, Michael.'
'Then I can be your brother no longer,' he returned passionately; 'from a child you have been far dearer to me. I never remember the time since I was a subaltern that I did not love you, and my love has grown every year.'
'Do you mean that you cared for me as Cyril cared?'
But even as she asked the question he saw that her face was suffused with a burning blush.
'I do mean it! From a child you have been the one woman in the world to me—the only one I wished to make my wife.'
Then she covered her face with her hands, and he could see that she was trembling from head to foot.
'It is too soon,' he heard her say; 'it is terribly soon;' and he knew the shock of this discovery was very great.
'It is not too soon,' he said, sitting down beside her and trying to draw away her hands. 'Audrey, my dearest, I cannot bear this. You must not shrink from me so. Do not misunderstand me; I am asking you for nothing. Surely you are not afraid of me—of Michael?'