She shrank from him.

“Why—what do you mean?”

He was angry, but he managed to laugh.

“Oh, I don’t mean anything. Matter of fact—I didn’t mean to let it go—as far as this. But you damn’ well go to my head—and— Oh, Betty, you know I love you! I’m —I’m mad about you. Get a divorce—Ramsay’ud give it to you, wouldn’t he? Or if he won’t, come away with me! Betty, I— Oh, my God, I can’t stand this sort of thing much longer! You don’t know what it means to me to wait like this.”

“Stop!” she whispered. “For heaven’s sake, stop! You don’t know what you’re saying— You—I don’t— I never thought—you felt like that!”

His cheeks were dark; she was frightened all at once, and clung to a chair-back, staring up at him.

“You must have known! Good Lord, you’re not as innocent as all that, Betty! You never thought I was just being a ‘friend’! A man wants more than friendship from a girl like you! You know it! What are you backing out of it for now? Because I asked you to come away with me? You surely didn’t think— Betty, I’m asking you to marry me! I don’t care a hang what people say! If you ’ll get a divorce I’ll wait. Only—if Ramsay refuses—”

“Charles, you must stop! You must stop! I couldn’t possibly! I—I’m awfully fond of you—but I don’t love you! I—I’m sorry if you ever thought I did, but—”

“If I ever thought it! Look here, Betty, it’s no good pretending like this! Why did you encourage me to come here if you never meant anything more than friendship?”

She could not speak; her knees were trembling; it seemed as though he were stripping decencies away and imputing evil to her.

He took a quick step towards her.

“You were just playing with me, were you? Never meant anything? And then when I—couldn’t hold myself in any longer you behave like a plaster-saint. That’s rich, by God! That’s really rich!”

“Don’t, oh don’t! You—you can’t mean what you’re saying! I—I thought you were just—being kind to me— because I was unhappy! I never dreamed—”

“Never dreamed I was in love with you! And you expect me to believe that?”

Her eyes sank. She had suspected; she had thought the suspicion ugly, fearful, and she had turned her back on it. She had pretended that Wendell’s attentions were those of a friend only; she had wanted to believe that, so she had believed it.

He laughed shortly.