“Do you want to marry her yourself?”
“I’d sooner marry her myself than see her married to you,” said Eric and repented of the words almost before they were spoken. In themselves they were harmless, but he did not want Gaymer to see that his cool insolence and jerky monosyllables were wearing down his own patience.
“Well, I won’t stop you, if you think you’ll have any success.”
“That’s not the point. She says you promised to marry her, and I want to know if you’re going to keep your promise.”
“I see. Well, I want to know just where you think you come in.”
“She’s a friend of mine,” Eric repeated.
“Bully for her! But I’m afraid I don’t hold myself responsible to any friend of hers who chooses to come here and ask impertinent questions.”
“Naturally. But I think I may say she’s asked my advice. Certainly I’ve given her advice, and she seems to be guided by it to some extent.”
“Bully for her again!”
“She was talking of making the engagement public.”