On the other hand--for in the flash
of a second he argued the case--he did not feel that she was the
hypothetical defenceless maiden, helpless to resist the wiles of an
equally hypothetical wicked young man. She had been brought up by a
worldly mother since she had left the convent where she had associated
with other girls, most of whom also had worldly mothers; and some of
the wildest blood in Europe ran in her veins.
On the whole, he thought it would be justifiable to tell her exactly
what he felt, and she might do as she pleased about answering him.
"I think I shall fall in love with you before long," he said, with
almost unnecessary calmness.
Sabina had not expected that the first declaration she received in her
life would take this mild form, but it affected her much more strongly
than she could understand. Her hand tightened suddenly on the book she
held, and she noticed a little fluttering at her heart and in her
throat, and at the same time she was conscious of a tremendous
determination not to show that she felt anything at all, but to act as
if she had heard just such things before, and more also.
"Indeed!" she said, with admirable indifference.
Malipieri looked at her in surprise. An experienced flirt of thirty
could not have uttered the single word more effectively.
Pages:
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143