“Ssh! I’ve been through this, Ivy, longer and worse than I pray you’ll ever know. And you can only get over it by setting your teeth—”
“I don’t want to get over it!,” she broke out.
“But you must. And you must begin getting over it to-night. Ivy, I went to see Gaymer this afternoon.”
She turned on him in swift surprise which changed to dawning hope. But there was nothing in his face to encourage hope, and her eyes dulled to resignation.
“Yes?,” she whispered.
“You may say, if you like, that I had no business to interfere. I went to see if I could do any good. I did no good at all, I found out nothing and I came away with what’s commonly called a flea in my ear.”
“Was she—?”
Ivy could not bring herself to finish the sentence, but Eric guessed its end and shook his head.
“I don’t think she has anything to do with it. I don’t believe he ever meant to marry you from the moment when he refused to publish the engagement.”
“But he promised, he gave me his oath!”