"From the moment you kissed my hand and called me 'brave'!"
"And yet you plunged that dagger in my heart when you said in my hearing—'I have no interest in Captain Dalton'?"
Honor recalled her conversation with Joyce and blushed. "It was not true!" she confessed.
"I deserved it—and more!" he said humbly with suffering in his eyes.
"And when did you begin to—care?" she asked shyly.
"From the moment I looked into your eyes at my bungalow, and saw heroism, truth, and purity."
It was sweet hearing, though she was convinced that he exaggerated her qualities. "Why then did you hide it so long?"
"I was fighting the biggest fight of my life."
"And have you won?"
"Won?" he laughed harshly. "No. I have lost, but it's worth it," kissing her defiantly. "Can you guess how much I love you? When I was ill I used to dream of you. I even thought you came to me and said you loved me!"