Anyway, I leant forward, and taking her little hand, I said awkwardly: "Marry me, Cynthia." Unwittingly, I had hit upon a sovereign remedy for her tears. 
I never made any marriage proposal to Cynthia. 
mnli hypothesis: I never made any marriage proposal to Cynthia.  premise: Anyway, I leant forward, and taking her little hand, I said awkwardly: "Marry me, Cynthia." Unwittingly, I had hit upon a sovereign remedy for her tears. 