I do not know why she thought it necessary to point this out to me, except that perhaps she thought that in some mad moment I might have conceived the idea that you--" "That I ?" she repeated softly, as he hesitated.
He set his teeth hard and frowned.
"You know what I mean," he said coldly.

"Your stepmother is a clever woman, and a woman of the world.

She takes into account all contingencies, never mind how improbable they might be.

She was afraid that I might think things were possible between us which after all must always remain outside serious consideration.

She wanted to warn me.
That was all.