This stunned him.

Then he replied, very low, "That was good of her," and Cora noticed that even with the fresh wind blowing in his face he had grown very pale.
"Cis writes you are going to be married at the beginning of October," she said, to change the conversation.

"I do hope you will be awfully happy.

It is so exquisite to be in love, isn't it?
I adore being engaged!" But John Derringham could not bear this--the two things were so widely severed in his case.

He did not answer, and Cora saw, although his face remained unmoved, that pain grew deep in his eyes.
"Mr.Derringham," she said, "I am going to say something indiscreet and perhaps in frightful taste--but I am so happy I can't bear to think that possibly others are not quite.