And she dared not imagine _how_.
They turned together into the quiet, tree-shaded street, and, in the mellow sunset light, something about it, and the pleasant vine-hung house, and the sense of restfulness moved her with a wistful impulse that he, too, should share a little of the home welcome that awaited her from her own kin.
"Will you remain and dine with us, Mr.Berkley ?" He looked up, so frankly surprised at her kindness that it hurt her all through.
"I want to be friends with you," she said impulsively.

"Didn't you know it ?" They had halted at the foot of the stoop.
"I should think you could see how easy it would he for us to become friends," she said with pretty self-possession.

But her heart was beating violently.
His pulses, too, were rapping out a message to his intelligence: "You had better not go in," it ran.

"You are not fit to go in.
You had better keep away from her.

You know what will happen if you don't." As they entered the house her sister-in-law rose from the piano in the front parlour and came forward.
"_Were_ you worried, dearest ?" cried Ailsa gaily.