Ah and Van's own--rather!" Mitchy continued; "for all he turns his back and will have nothing to say to it." It was on the back Vanderbank turned that Mrs.Brook's eyes now rested.
"That's precisely why he shouldn't be afraid of her." He faced straight about.

"Oh I don't deny my part." He shone at them brightly enough, and Mrs.Brook, thoughtful, wistful, candid, took in for a moment the radiance.

"And yet to think that after all it has been mere TALK!" Something in her tone again made her hearers laugh out; so it was still with the air of good humour that Vanderbank answered: "Mere, mere, mere.
But perhaps it's exactly the 'mere' that has made us range so wide." Mrs.Brook's intelligence abounded.

"You mean that we haven't had the excuse of passion ?" Her companions once more gave way to mirth, but "There you are!" Vanderbank said after an instant less sociably.

With it too he held out his hand.
"You ARE afraid," she answered as she gave him her own; on which, as he made no rejoinder, she held him before her.