"No one you knew. It was after I'd seen you with Lady Cecily Jayne. I was jealous, Quinny!..."
"My dear," he said, flattered by the oneness of her love for him.
"But I couldn't. I just couldn't. I suppose I'm rather limited!" She made a wry smile as she spoke. "I felt stupid beside her. She talked so easily, and I couldn't think of anything to say. You must have thought I was a fool, Quinny!"
"No, Mary!..."
"Oh, but I was. I got stupider and stupider, and the more I thought of how stupid I was, the stupider I got. I could have cried with vexation. Do you remember Gilbert's party ... I mean when it was over and we were going home?"
"Yes."
"I prayed that you'd come with mother and me. I thought Ninian would go with mother, and you'd go with me ... but you didn't!"
"I remember," he answered. "I wanted to go with you...."
"Why didn't you?"
"Some one came up ... I've forgotten ... something happened, and so I didn't. I wanted to, Mary!"