"Won't you have it?" he said. "Won't you permit me this small favour?"
She felt the colour go out of her face. It was so unexpected, this from
him--in a fashion, almost staggering. For some reason she had never
regarded this man as a possible admirer. She felt as if the solid ground
had suddenly quaked beneath her.
"I would rather not," she said at last, avoiding his eyes instinctively.
"Please don't think me ungracious. I know you mean to be kind."
"If you really believe that," said Fletcher, smiling faintly, "I don't
see your objection."
The blood rushed back in a burning wave to her face. She, who prided
herself upon being a woman of the world, blushed hotly, overwhelmingly,
like any self-conscious girl.
"I would rather not," she repeated, with her eyes upon the ground.
But Fletcher was not to be turned lightly from his purpose.
"I wouldn't distress you for the world, Mrs. Denvers," he said, "but
don't you think you are a trifle unreasonable? No one expects a woman in
your position to be a slave to convention. I would never have bought the
thing had I dreamed that it could be an offence."
There was a tinge of reproach in his voice, no more, but she felt
inexplicably ashamed as she heard it. She looked up sharply, and the
conviction that she was making herself ridiculous swept quickly upon
her. She held out her hand to him, and mutely suffered him to slip the
bangle on to her wrist.
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