“I don’t know.”
“You’re trying to keep me at a distance.”
She did not speak, but he saw the colour burning on the face that she bent hurriedly over her work.
He edged his chair closer, and repeated—
“Yes, you are, Stella—trying to keep me off.”
“I—I’m sorry.”
“You needn’t be sorry; but I wish you’d tell me why you’re doing it. It isn’t that you’ve only just discovered that I love you—you’ve always known that.”
“I’m wasting your time, Gervase. I shouldn’t keep you dangling after me.”
“You mean that I’ve hung about too long?”
“Oh, no....” She was obviously distressed.