Our eyes met.
“We've been great friends,” I said.
“Yes. And to make THAT of it. My poor dear! But how can they?” She paused and looked at me. “It's so incredible. How can any one believe it? I couldn't.”
She stopped, with her distressed eyes regarding me. Her expression changed to dread. There was a tense stillness for a second, perhaps.
I turned my face towards the desk, and took up and dropped a handful of paper fasteners.
“Margaret,” I said, “I'm afraid you'll have to believe it.”
5
Margaret sat very still. When I looked at her again, her face was very white, and her distressed eyes scrutinised me. Her lips quivered as she spoke. “You really mean—THAT?” she said.
I nodded.
“I never dreamt.”
“I never meant you to dream.”
“And that is