She did not recover from her disadvantage in time to prevent a slight flush. “My throat pained me a little this morning,” she said.
“Ah! Not from cold, perhaps?” There was the gleam of an underlying meaning in his sharp eyes. “Our valley is damp at night. You are wise to keep your throat wrapped up.”
“It is nothing,” she replied, facing the fire of his scrutiny as steadily as she could.
He gave a little bow, as ending the subject.
“I came over, Fräulein,” he said, “to ask you a question.”
“What is that, Count?”
If she thought it had to do with her night’s adventure she was mistaken.
“A simple one,” he answered. “Whether you have yet seen proper to change your no into a yes?”
She shook her head.
“At least,” he continued insistently, “we are nearer to the happy word than we were yesterday?”