Bellamy said with a stubborn shake of his head: "Never without good
cause; and as far as I know, Linda's blameless. I'm a pretty hopeless
proposition, I know, but not quite so bad as all that."
Amelie sat back, her colour rising. She could not misinterpret the
determination in his temper; yet vanity would not permit her to forego
one last attempt. "But if she should divorce you?"
"Deal with that when it comes up. Frankly, don't believe it ever will.
Don't mean to give Linda any reason I can avoid."
"What you mean is, you really love----!"
"I mean," he cut in sharply, "whatever my shortcomings, I respect Linda,
I won't hurt her if I can help it."
"How charming of you!"
For all acknowledgment she received a silent inclination of his head;
and she began to laugh dangerously, eyes abrim with hatred, the heat in
her cheeks shaming their rouge.
"Well, thank God I've come to understand you before we went any
farther!"
"Amen to that."
"And so all your love-making has been simply----"
"The same as yours, Amy."
"Then why did you ever make love to me at all, please?"
"Because you let me see you wanted me to."
The brutal truth of that lifted the woman to her feet. "I don't think I
care for any more luncheon," she said in a shaking voice. "If you don't
mind...."