“You sound as if you think that will never be,” she said sharply.
Micky met her gaze unflinchingly.
“I don’t think anything of the sort. I know––I know if I were in his place, whoever he is––I should be counting the moments till I could ... could have you with me.” He smothered the momentary seriousness of his words with a little laugh. “And now, after that pretty compliment, aren’t you going to reward me by taking my most excellent advice?”
The ghost of a smile crossed her face.
“I wanted you to say something so different,” she told him wistfully.
“I know––but I’m not going to. Any one would advise you as I have. It isn’t ... it isn’t that I’m prejudiced, or anything like that. I would give a great deal to see you happy. I hope you believe me.”
She sat twisting her hands together nervously. After a moment she looked up at him.
“Thank you,” she said.
She rose and began to pull on her gloves.
“I hope you don’t think it’s very dreadful of me to 184 have come,” she said deprecatingly. “But ... but this morning, somehow, I felt I must have someone to talk to––some one to advise me....”