June introduced Micky and Esther with a sort of hurried self-consciousness. It was not by her invitation that Micky was here this afternoon, and the fact that she had asked him to help Esther embarrassed her.
"Mr. Mellowes--Miss Shepstone; you've both heard of each other, so I can leave you to entertain one another while I get tea."
Esther looked after her with angry eyes; she thought June might have stayed--she took a quick step forward to call her back, but Micky stopped her; he put a hand on the door above her head, shutting it fast.
"I'm going to speak to you, whether you like it or not," he said.
She faced him angrily; she was very flushed.
"I don't know what you mean. You've no right to speak to me like that. If Miss Mason has asked you here to meet me----"
"June didn't know I was coming. She has no more idea than the dead that we have ever met before. I haven't told her, and I don't suppose you have--or will," he added grimly. "However, as we are alone, will you tell me what I've done to offend you? It's not fair to take me for a friend and then fling me over as if I were an old glove.... If I've annoyed you, the least you can do is to tell me how and give me a chance to explain."
Esther had walked back to the fire and Mellowes followed her. He knew that he had only got a few moments, and he meant to make the most of them.
"You refuse to see me or to allow me to take you out," he went on urgently. "And you haven't even answered my last letter. If I have offended you----"
"You haven't," said Esther, as he paused. "I'm not at all offended."
"Then why, in the name of all that's holy----" he began again, in exasperation. She cut him short.
"You didn't tell me the truth about yourself. You made out you were poor! You pretended to be some one quite different to what you are. You've a perfect right to, I suppose, if you wish, but I hate being deceived and treated like that. I suppose you think anything is good enough for me! Perhaps it is, but----"
Micky brought his fist down with a bang on the back of the big armchair.
"I give you my word of honour, Miss Shepstone, that what I said was only because it seemed the best way to make you trust me. I had absolutely no other reason for pretending to--to--be anything but what I am. I know you'd have gone off at a tangent if I'd said I was unfortunate enough to be rich, I know----"