"Good God, it's not possible! Was it because I came in as I did?"
"Yes, but it wasn't your fault. It was mine and Crofts'."
He made to take her in his arms, but she warned him where he was with a gesture. He sank into a chair, groaning:
"I'd rather cut off my right hand than bring suspicion on you, Persis."
Staring idly ahead of her, Persis maundered in a hollow voice, "And they refused my hand!" The lash of this remembered insult brought her to her feet with a snarl. "They refused my hand! Oh, it's all over now. A war extra couldn't spread the scandal faster than those two women. But I suppose it had to come some day. And we thought we were so discreet!"
She laughed bitterly, for the luxury of self-contempt was alkali upon her tongue. But Forbes could only sigh, "How you must hate me!"
"How much I love you!" she whispered. Even in her panic she had no reproach for the author of her defeat; and as she paced the floor she touched his cheek with a passing caress.
She walked to the window idly and stared out into the street. She fell back with a gasp. "Oh, they saw me!—they saw me!"
"Who?—who saw you?"
"Alice Neff and Stowe Webb just drove up. They waved to me. They're coming here. Good Lord of heaven, at such a time!"