He asked the question caressingly, in a low passionate voice that she had never heard from his lips before. She did not answer, but clung more closely to him. Smiling, he repeated the question.
'Only when you're with me, darling?'
'I've told Bobbie and my aunt that we're going to be married. They made me suffer so dreadfully. I had to tell them. I couldn't keep it back, they said such horrible things about you.'
He did not answer for a moment.
'It's very natural.'
'It's nothing to you,' she cried desperately. ' But to me.... Oh, you don't know what agony I had to endure.'
'I'm glad you told them.'
'Bobby said I must be heartless and cruel. And it's true: George is nothing to me now when I think of you. My heart is so filled with my love for you that I haven't room for anything else.'
'I hope my love will make up for all that you have lost. I want you to be happy.'
She withdrew from his arms and leaned back, against the corner of the sofa. It was absolutely necessary to say what was gnawing at her heart-strings, but she felt ashamed and could not look at him.