"I hope you will not ever use them!"
"Why not?"
"I do not see what a properly made dress has to do with pins."
But at this confession of masculine ignorance Eleanor first looked and then laughed and covered her face, till he came and sat down again and by forcible possession took her hands away.
"You have no particular present occasion to laugh at me," he said.
"Eleanor, what made you first willing to quit England and go anywhere?"
The answer to this was first an innocent look, and then an extreme scarlet flush. She could not hide it, with her hands prisoners; she sat in a pretty state of abashment. A slight giving way of the mouth bore witness that he read and understood it, though his immediate words were reassuringly grave and unchanged in tone.
"I remember, you did not comprehend such a thing as possible, at one time. When was that changed? You used to have a great fear."
"I lost part of that at Plassy."
"Where did you lose the rest of it, Eleanor?"
"It was in London."