“Ah!” Claire’s pale lips parted on a cry. She half rose from her chair. Alexis sprang across the room to her side.
“This is too much!” he exclaimed. “Why do you torture the child?”
“Because Mme. Petrovskey wants me to confess that I love Claire!” Dr. Elliott’s tones rang clear.
They all looked at him in amazement. A calm exultation in his eyes, he faced them squarely.
“Can you deny it?” A smile of triumph played about the older woman’s mouth.
“I can. But I will not!”
Claire hid her face in shaking hands. “Oh, Robert,” she sobbed, “please don’t.”
He approached and stood over her with quiet strength.
“Why should I deny the most beautiful thing in my life? That would be to lower it to the level of Mme. Petrovskey’s insinuations.”
The latter started up from her chair with a cry of suppressed fury. The baby-blue orbs flashed hell-fire.