Wroxham, with a little instinctive motion, set the glasses more firmly on his nose, and looked at her sadly. She smiled.
“Won’t you dance with me?” she said.
His face lit up as he placed his arm round her waist and they began to waltz. The rhythm of the haunting melody carried Winnie’s soul away. She knew that she was giving great happiness, and it filled her with pleasure. The music stopped, and with a sigh of delight she sank into a chair.
“I want to tell you something,” he said presently, with much seriousness. “If ever you change your mind I shall be waiting for you. I can never love any one else. I don’t want you to make any promise or to give me any encouragement. But I shall wait for you. And if ever the time comes that you think you can care for me, you will find me ready and eager to be—your very humble servant.”
“I didn’t know you were so kind,” said she, with tears in her eyes. “I misjudged you, I thought you treated me like a fool. I’m sorry, I want you to be happy. But don’t be wretched because I can’t marry you; I’m not worth troubling about.”
He looked at her fixedly, divining from her tone that something was troubling her.
“Is anything the matter?” he asked.
“No, what should be?” she answered, trying to smile, but blushing to the roots of her hair.
“You’ve been crying.”
“I had a headache. There’s really nothing else.”