"That's not saying much. You needn't be affronted, it's an honour for you to have me talk to you like this." "Is it though? I don't see it--I think you are beastly unfair. I do think that." And he pulled out his handkerchief and blew his nose by way of protest. "Just now you were whimpering because you had no one to care for you,--and I believe you said it just to get me to say _I_ did." Suddenly--"It was a shabby trick, Leo; and then to shut me up like that, when I only meant to do my best for you!" "Be quiet, be quiet." Despite a twinge of conscience, Leo held her own stoutly. "No one but you would ever have thought of such a thing." "That's all you know about it. My grandmother did. There!" "You spoke to her, I suppose?" "Not I. _She_ put _me_ up to it. Honour bright, she did. I daresay I should have thought of it for myself," continued Val, quickly, "but I hadn't, till she did. She was always praising you, and saying how pretty you were, and what a bad business your marriage was. I mean--I mean----" "Don't get flustered, Val. You know we have agreed always to be straight with each other. I can quite understand Mrs. Purcell's not approving my marriage." "But she was awfully sorry for you, you know when;" he nodded significantly; "and she told me to make friends and try and cheer you up, and then----" "Then?" "A fellow couldn't help seeing what she was thinking of. She had it in her mind all the time. You trust me. I'm just about as cute as you make 'em when it comes to my gran. I know what she's driving at. All about your being so sweet, and that. She never used to call you sweet; now, did she? And I remember how she used to be down on you for being so untidy and having your hair all about your ears; and she called it red then--but it's auburn now." He chuckled self-appreciatively, and she laughed outright; but this sobered him. "Don't you go and laugh at me, Leo." "I'm not laughing at you--now. Go on; tell me more; what else did your gran say?" "She said--but you won't let it out?" "No--no." "She said it would be an awfully good thing for me if I could hitch up with--no, she didn't say that. At least," he reflected, "I don't think it was about _you_ she said that." "There's some one else, then?" "Oh, bless you, yes. There are heaps of girls,--but _I_ don't care for any of them," said Val, loftily. "Some of those I met at houses when I was away were awfully nice, though; they were, really." "I daresay. What do you want with me, then?" "Why, I've always been fond of you, Leo. You know I have. And I don't think you should call it 'nonsense'." Suddenly he reverted to his grievance: "It makes a fool of a fellow to--to treat a proposal in that sort of way." "It wasn't a real proposal, Val. You just said it for something to say."