He dodged.

He did not want to lose her, never to see her again; but he dodged.
"I couldn't think----" he began, and stopped.
"Of course it's a very awkward situation for a man," she went on, toying with muffin.

"I can quite understand how you feel.

And with most folks you'd be right.

There's very few women that can judge character, and if you started to try and settle something at once they'd just set you down as a wrong 'un.