“And you refuse to tell me its nature?”
“I regret, Claudia, that I must refuse,” he said, pressing her hand. His lips twitched, and she saw that tears stood in his eyes. She knew that the man who had been her lover in the days of her girlhood spoke the truth when he added, “This circumstance must remain my own secret.”
Chapter Eleven.
Discloses an Ugly Truth.
With hands interlocked they stood together in silence for some minutes. Neither spoke. Their hearts were full to overflowing.
This woman, whose remarkable beauty had made it possible for her to ride rough-shod over discretion, was in those moments of silence seized by remorse. She saw that he was suffering, and with a woman’s quick sympathy strove to alleviate his distress. In a manner that was neither hysterical nor theatrical, she carried his hand to her soft lips. Then, with a sudden burst of affection, she raised her beautiful face to his, saying:
“All the hard words you have spoken, Dudley, belong entirely to the past. I only know that I love you.”
He looked at her steadfastly for a few moments, then said: