"But of course I am," he said. "I thought you knew."
She summoned to her aid an indignation she was far from feeling; she had
to cloak her confusion somehow. "How could I possibly know?" she said.
"You never told me."
"I asked you to marry me," he protested. "I thought you would take the
other thing for granted."
She stood up abruptly, turning from him. It was impossible to keep up
her indignation. It simply declined to carry her through.
"You--you are a perfect idiot!" she said shakily. And on the words she
tried to laugh, but only succeeded in partially smothering a sob.
"Oh, I say!" said Lord Ronald. He got up awkwardly, and stood behind
her. "Please don't take it to heart," he urged. "I shouldn't have told
you, only--you know--you asked. And it wouldn't make any difference, on
my honour it wouldn't. Won't you take my word for it, and give me a
trial?"
"No," she said.
"Why not?" he persisted. "Don't you think you are rather hard on me? I
shall never take a single inch more than you care to allow."
She turned upon him suddenly. Her cheeks were burning and her eyes were
wet, but she no longer cared about his seeing these details.
"What did you mean?" she demanded unexpectedly, "by saying to me that
those fight hardest who fight in vain?"
He was not in the least disconcerted.
"I meant that though you might send me about my business you would not
quite manage to shake me off altogether.
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