I don't dare touch on that side of things." Again a whisper.

"Why, then ?" How could I tell her why without betrayal of Boyce?
I had to turn the question playfully.

I said, "What should I do without my Betty ?" "Do you really care about me so much ?" I laughed.

There are times when one has to laugh--or overwhelm oneself in dishonour.
"Now you see my nature in all its vile egotism," said I, and the statement led to a pretty quarrel.
But after it was over to our joint satisfaction, she had to return to the distressful main theme of our talk.

She harked back to Sir Anthony, touched on his splendid behaviour, recalled, with a little dismay, the hitherto unnoted fact that, after the ceremony he had held himself aloof from those that thronged round Boyce.