"Will you tell me frankly--have you any intention of marrying him?" he
persisted.
Noreen stared at him, her cheeks flaming.
"Marry Mr. Chunerbutty? Of course not. How could you think so! Why, he's
not even a white man."
"Thank God!" Payne exclaimed fervently. "I'm delighted to hear it. I
couldn't believe it--yet one never knows."
"But what on earth put such a preposterous idea into your head, Mr. Payne?"
asked Noreen. "And what has this got to do with Mrs. Rice?"
"Because Mrs. Rice said that you were engaged to Chunerbutty."
For a moment Noreen could find no words. Then she leaned forward, her eyes
flashing.
"Oh, how could she--how could she think so?"
"Perhaps she didn't. But she wanted us to. She said that you had told her
you were engaged to him, but wanted it kept secret for the present. So
naturally she told everyone."
"Told everyone that I was going to marry a native? Oh, how cruel of her!
How could she be so wicked!" exclaimed the girl, much distressed. Then she
added: "Did _you_ believe it?"
Payne shook his head.
"Candidly, child, I didn't know what to think. I hoped it wasn't true. But
of late that damned Bengali seemed so intimate with you. He apparently
wanted everyone to see on what very friendly terms you and he were."
"Did Major Dermot believe it too?"
"I don't know," said Payne doubtfully.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334