"Oh, please, will you help me?" she said.
He gave her a straight, keen look that seemed to penetrate to her soul. "If it lies in my power," he said slowly.
She caught her breath, pierced by a sharp uncertainty. "You can. I'm sure you can," she said.
He set down his cup. "Dinah," he said gently, "don't ask me to interfere in your affairs if you can by any means manage without!"
"But that's just it!" she said in distress. "I can't."
He leaned forward. "My dear, don't be agitated!" he said. "Tell me what is the matter!"
Dinah leaned forward also, her hands tightly clasped, and spoke in a rapid whisper.
"Scott, Eustace wants me to go for an all-day picnic alone with him to-morrow. I--don't want to go."
He was still looking at her with that straight, almost stern regard. An odd little quiver went through her as she met it. She felt as if she were in a fashion on her trial.
"Why don't you want to go?" he asked.
She hesitated. "I was to have gone up to town with Isabel to shop," she said.
"No, that isn't the reason," he said. "Tell me the reason!"
She made a quick gesture of appeal. "I--wish you wouldn't ask," she faltered, and suddenly she could meet his eyes no longer. She lowered her own, and sat before him in burning confusion.
"Have you asked yourself?" he said, his voice very low.
She was silent; the quiet question seemed to probe her through and through. There was no evading it.
Scott was still watching her very closely, very intently. He spoke at length, just as she was beginning to feel his scrutiny to be more than she could bear.
"If you are just shy with him--as I think you are--I think you ought to try and get over it, as much for his sake as for your own. You don't want to hurt him, do you? You wouldn't like him to be disappointed?"
Dinah shook her head. "If you could come too!" she suggested, in a very small voice.
"No, I can't," said Scott firmly.
She sent him a darting glance. "Are you angry with me?" she said.
"I!" said Scott in amazement.
"You--spoke as if you were," she said. "And you looked--quite grim."
He laughed a little. "If you are afraid of me, you must indeed be easily frightened. No, of course I am not angry. Dinah! Dinah! Don't be silly!"