There was nevertheless none of
the joy of his triumph in his face as he came a very few steps to
meet her; and although, stiffly enough, he let her kiss him and say
"I'm so glad--I'm so glad!" she felt this tolerance as not quite the
mere calm of the rising diplomatist. He turned toward the house with
her and walked on a short distance while she uttered the hope that he
had come to stay some days.
"Only till to-morrow morning. They're sending me straight to Madrid.
I came down to say good-bye; there's a fellow bringing my bags."
"To Madrid? How awfully nice! And it's awfully nice of you to have
come," she said as she passed her hand into his arm.
The movement made him stop, and, stopping, he turned on her in a
flash a face of something more than, suspicion--of passionate
reprobation. "What I really came for--you might as well know without
more delay--is to ask you a question."
"A question?"--she echoed it with a beating heart.
They stood there under the old trees in the lingering light, and,
young and fine and fair as they both were, formed a complete
superficial harmony with the peaceful English scene. A near view,
however, would have shown that Godfrey Chart hadn't taken so much
trouble only to skim the surface. He looked deep into his sister's
eyes. "What was it you said that morning to Mrs. Churchley?"
She fixed them on the ground a moment, but at last met his own again.
"If she has told you, why do you ask?"
"She has told me nothing.
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