“Now what do you mean by that?” Sir Humphrey asked.
He spoke aggressively and, although Gilda felt nervous, she stood her ground.
“Please – understand,” she said, “that I appreciate your thoughts of me – but you know as well as I do that it is – wrong for a lady to accept – any gift, except perhaps flowers – from a man who is not – connected with her in any way.”
She stammered over the words because she could not quite think of how she should put it and Sir Humphrey replied,
“That is easily remedied. I have asked you to marry me. I am waiting for you to say ‘yes’.”
Gilda drew in her breath.
“The answer – Sir Humphrey, is ‘no’!”
He stared at her and now she felt as if his eyes had a most ferocious expression in them.
“What do you mean ‘no’?” he snapped. “You have played me along ver
