the realisation hurt him badly.

The girl seemed to have crept a little closer to him, as for comfort and
protection.

"She has made up her mind, and nothing will change it. She wants you
to--to marry me. She's told me so a hundred times. She won't listen to
anything else; she says you--you care for me, Hugh."

"Supposing I care so much, little girl, that I want your happiness above
everything in this world. Supposing--I clear out?" he said--"clear right
away, go to Africa, or somewhere or other?"

"She would make me wait till you came back, and you'd have to come back,
Hugh, because there is always Hurst Dormer. There's no way out for me,
none. If only--only you were married; that is the only thing that would
have saved me!"

"But I'm not!"

She sighed. "If only you were, if only you could say to her, 'I can't
ask Marjorie to marry me, because I am already married!' It sounds
rubbish, doesn't it, Hugh; but if it were only true!"

"Supposing--I did say it?"

"Oh, Hugh, but--" She looked up at him quickly. "But it would be a
lie!"

"I know, but lies aren't always the awful things they are supposed to