She—astonishing thing!—leapt the gulf for him. Possibly the greater distance at which he stood gave her courage. “Are you afraid,” she murmured, moving her fingers restlessly, and watching them, “that you may change your mind again?”
“Change my mind?” he ejaculated, not for the moment understanding her. So much had happened since his collision with Flixton in the Square.
“As that gentleman—said you were in the habit of doing.”
“Ah!”
“It was not true?”
“True?” he exclaimed hotly. “True that I—that I——”
“Changed your mind?” she said with her face averted. “And not—not only that, sir?”
“What else?” he asked bitterly.
“Talked of me—among your friends?”
“A lie! A miserable lie!” he cried on impulse, finding his tongue again. “But I will tell you all. He saw you—that first morning, you remember, and never having seen anyone so lovely, he intended to make you the object of—of attentions that were unworthy of you. And to protect you I told him that I was going—to make you my wife.”