"I promise you that El Diablo Cojuelo shall not steal you away from me
even if he captures you, señorita," Don Carlos replied. "I am glad you
are undismayed, and again I assure you I am honoured and flattered that
you have accepted my invitation to----"
"I regarded it more as a challenge than an invitation," interposed Myra.
"Really! Then I am more than honoured by your acceptance of the
challenge," resumed Don Carlos, his face crinkling into a smile. "I
wonder why you are condescending to be so gracious to me to-night,
Myra. Do I understand I am forgiven?"
"Perhaps I have really nothing to forgive, Carlos, and it was folly on
my part to take offence," Myra answered, with an alluring glance.
"Incidentally, it is nice of you to keep your promise not to make love
to me, but--but----"
She broke off as if at a loss. For once in a way Myra Rostrevor was
deliberately playing the part of coquette, and she saw Don Carlos's
eyes flame suddenly with ardour and expectation.
"You mean that you no longer hold me to my promise, Myra?" he asked,
scarcely above a whisper.
"No, I--I don't mean that, Carlos," murmured Myra, with eyes downcast;
"but--but you have only been coldly polite to me ever since you arrived
here, yet I have seen you making love to other girls. If you are in
love with me, and were not merely pretending----"
"I was not pretending, Myra," interrupted Don Carlos. "I love you with
every fibre of my being. It was only pretence where the other women
are--and were--concerned. I confess I tried to make you feel jealous,
and I trust I succeeded?"
"I am not going to tell you," said Myra, raising her eyelids to flash
another alluring and provocative glance at him. "Unless there is love,
there can hardly be jealousy. If I were desperately in love with a man
who did not care for me, or pretended he did not, I should not have the
heart to try to make any other man fall in love with me. How can you
expect me to believe you are really in love with me, Carlos, when I see
you constantly making love to other women?"
"Darling, give me but a chance to prove my love," Don Carlos breathed;
then quick-wittedly began to talk about salmon fishing as two or three
other guests approached.
Myra did not give him another opportunity to talk to her alone during
the rest of the evening, but she contrived to tantalise and puzzle him
further, nevertheless. She pleaded tiredness when he asked her to
dance after dinner, but danced with other men, and she was unusually
affectionate in her manner towards Tony when she thought Don Carlos was
watching her, which was often.