She shrewdly suspected the nature of the bargain proposed by Durnovo, and a sudden desire possessed her to have it all out--to drag this skeleton forth and flaunt it in Jack Meredith's face.

The shame of it all would have a certain sweetness behind its bitterness; because, forsooth, Jack Meredith alone was to witness the shame.

She did not pause to define the feeling that rose suddenly in her heart.

She did not know that it was merely the pride of her love--the desire that Jack Meredith, though he would never love her, should know once for all that such a man as Victor Durnovo could be nothing but repugnant to her.
"If you mean," she said, "that you cannot tell Mr.Meredith because I am here, you need not hesitate on that account." Maurice laughed awkwardly, and muttered something about matters of business.

He was not good at this sort of thing.