"Does that mean you--care for him ?" she demanded.
Olga hesitated.

Violet in this mood was utterly unfamiliar to her, a strange and tragic personality before which she felt curiously small and ill at ease, even in some unaccountable fashion guilty.
"Dear, please don't ask me such startling questions!" she said.

"I can't possibly answer you." "Why not ?" said Violet.

Her hands were clenched.

Her whole body seemed to be held in rigid control thereby.
"Because--" again Olga hesitated, considered, finally broke off lamely "I don't know." "You do know!" There was actual ferocity in the open contradiction.
Violet was directly facing her now.