She grasped the hand, and shut her eyes to make a long age of the holding
on to him. 'Oh, you dear dear fellow!--don't think me unwomanly; I must
tell you now: I am naked and can't disguise. I see you are ice--feel:
and if you were different, I might be. You won't be hurt by hearing
you've made yourself dear to me--without meaning to, I know! It began
that day at Lakelands; I fell in love with you the very first minute I
set eyes on you! There's a confession for a woman to make! and a married
woman! I'm married, and I no more feel allegiance, as they call it, than
if there never had been a ceremony and no Jacob Blathenoy was in
existence. And why I should go to him! But you shan't be troubled.
I did not begin to live, as a woman, before I met you. I can speak all
this to you because--we women can't be deceived in that--you are one of
the men who can be counted on for a friend.'

'I hope so,' Dartrey said, and his mouth hardened as nature's electricity
shot sparks into him from the touch and rocked him.

'No, not yet: I will soon let it drop,' said she, and she was just then
thrillingly pretty; she caressed the hand, placing it at her throat and
moving her chin on it, as women fondle birds. 'I am positively to go,
then?'

'Positively, you are to go; and it's my command.'

'Not in love with any one at all?'

'Not with a soul.'

'Not with a woman?'