“It’s no good, Peter. I understand your selfish reason better than your unselfish one. I fail to see why you should sacrifice me and yourself to your family and their land. I can see much better how you can’t bear the thought of losing Starvecrow. I know how you love it, because I love it too-but much as I love it, I never could sacrifice you to it, my dear, nor any human soul.”
“I know—I know. I’m a beast, Stella—but it’s like this ... human beings change—even you may change—but places are always the same.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I love you now—but how do I know ... Mary married for love.”
“What’s Mary got to do with it?”
“She’s shown me that one can never be sure, even with love.”
“You mean to say you’re not sure if you’d be happy with me?”
“Darling, I’m as sure as I can ever be with any human being. But one never can be quite sure, that’s the terrible thing. And oh, it would be so ghastly if you changed—or I changed—and I had left the unchanging place for you.”
Stella rose quietly to her feet.
“I understand now, Peter.”