And then presently they all fade away:  Captain Marryatt first, as has been said, and Mrs. Chichester last, still saying absurd things about the return of her “Jack”—­absurd, but undoubtedly sincere.  “That’s what made them so funny,” said Gower afterwards.  And now Margaret makes a little excuse and goes too, but not before she has asked Maurice to stay to dinner.

“Oh, thank you!” says Rylton, and then hesitates; but after a glance at Tita’s face, most reluctantly, and a little hopelessly, as it seems to Margaret, declares he has a previous engagement.

“Another night, then,” says Margaret kindly, and closes the door behind her.

CHAPTER XXVII.

HOW MAURICE GAINS ANOTHER POINT; AND HOW TITA CONSENTS TO THINK ABOUT IT; AND HOW MARGARET TELLS A LIE.

For a little while no word is spoken.  It seems as if no words are theirs to speak.  Rylton, standing on the hearthrug, has nothing to look at save her back, that is so determinedly turned towards him.  She is leaning over the plants in one of the windows, pretending to busy herself with their leaves.

“Won’t you speak to me?” says Rylton at last.

He goes to her, and so stands that she is forced to let him see her face—­a face beautiful, but pale and unkind, and with the eyes so steadfastly lowered.  And yet he

    “Knows they must be there,
    Sweet eyes behind those lashes fair,
    That will not raise their rim.”

“I have spoken,” says Tita.

“When?”

“I said, ‘How d’ye do’ to you.”

“Nonsense” says he; and then, “I don’t believe you said even so much.  You gave me your hand, that was all; and that you gave reluctantly.”

“Well, I can’t help it,” slowly.  “Remember what I told you that last day.”

“I don’t want to remember anything,” says he earnestly.  “I want to start afresh—­from this hour.  And yet—­there is one thing I must recall.  You said—­that last day—­there was no love between us—­that,” slowly, “was not true.  There is love on one side, at all events.  Tita”—­taking a step towards her—­“I——­”

She makes a sudden, wild gesture, throwing out her hands as if to ward off something.

"Don’t!" cries she in a stifled voice.  “Don’t say it!”

“I must!  I will!" says Rylton passionately.  “I love you!” There is a dead silence, and in it he says again, “I love you!”

For a moment Tita looks as if she were going to faint; then the light returns to her eyes, the colour to her face.

“First her, then me,” says she.

“Will you never forgive that?” asks he.  “And it was before I saw you.  When I did see you—­Tita, do try to believe this much, at all events, that after our marriage I was true to you.  I think now, that from the first moment I saw you I loved you.  But I did not know it, and——­”