But he had not so chosen--most assuredly he had not.

He had quietly, with a charmingly persuasive insistence, broken through the conventions of custom, and had subsequently proved himself as considerate and as thoughtful for her comfort as any actual friend could have been.

More than that, in those moments of tense excitement, immediately after the collision had occurred, she could have sworn that real feeling, genuine concern for her safety, had vibrated in his voice.
And now, just as deliberately, just as composedly as he had begun the acquaintance, so he had closed it.
Diana's cheeks burned with shame.

She felt humiliated.

Evidently he had regarded her merely as some one with whom it might he agreeable to idle away the tedium of a journey--but that was all.