He asked no questions, but looked at me, silent, expectant, and lured by that fatal love of talking about oneself which exists in so many feminine hearts, I fell into the trap, and prattled thoughtlessly on:-- "At home with my younger sister, I was the one who had all the responsibility and management. She depended on me. I was the Autocrat of the Household, and everything I said was law." "You would like that?" I gave him a withering glance. "Pray what makes you think so?" "You like your own way, don't you? I--er--I have received that impression." "I was about to add," I said coldly, "that, since I have lived at `Pastimes,' I have not had my own way at all. I have not wanted it. Mrs Fane's character is stronger than mine. I have been content to abdicate in her favour. If you asked her opinion of me, she would probably tell you that I was too pliable--too easily influenced." Silence. The blunt, roughly-hewn profile stared stolidly ahead. A granite wall would have shown as much expression. I was seized with an immense, a devastating curiosity to discover what he was thinking. I fixed my eyes steadily upon him, mentally willing him to turn round. He knew I was doing it. I could see the red rise above his collar rim, and mount steadily to his ears. He was determined that he would not speak. I was equally determined that he should. "Mr Maplestone! I am waiting for a remark." "Miss Wastneys, I--er--I have no remark to make." "You don't recognise me in the latter _role_?" "I--er--I can't say that I do! On the few occasions on which we have met, you have appeared to me to be abundantly--er--to be, in short, the ruling spirit." I thought of that first interview in the inn when the brunt of the bargaining had fallen on me; I thought of the tragic evening at the "Hall," when I had arranged a hurried departure, without apparently consulting Charmion's wishes. Appearances were against me, and it was impossible to explain them away. I said, in a cross, hurt voice:-- "Oh, of course, you think me everything that is disagreeable and domineering. It is just as I said--men see only one thing, and it colours their whole view. If I lived a lifetime of meekness and self-abnegation, you would never forget that affair of the lease. And it was your own fault, too! You were the unreasonable one, not I; but all the same, you have never forgiven. Delphine told me how much you disliked me." His eyes met mine, frankly, without a flicker of shame. "Did she? That was wrong of her. She had no business to repeat--" "You acknowledge it, then! You _did_ say so?" "I did. Oh, yes. It's quite true."