He came to me as if
there were no one else in the room.
Ah, I have been unhappy! I have known that he would try to keep away from
me. Useless! Useless to fight with love! It's too strong for us. At sight
of him joy like a fire flashed through my veins.
But there were my cousins; there was Meg--she looked at him impatiently, I
fancied, as she has sometimes looked at John. Poor John, it didn't need
her surveillance to break his feeble hold upon my heart. And there they
stayed. They wouldn't go. They stayed, and talked, while I shivered and
grew hot with fear and gladness and the excitement of his presence; they
talked--of all senseless topics--about the ball.
"Why, Mr. Hynes, we've missed you," said Ethel carelessly, at sight of
him. "Oh, Meg, tell us about last night, won't you? Helen's said nothing;
almost nothing at all."
"Oh, what is there to tell?"
It made me impatient. How could I chatter nothings when Ned was by my
side, smiling down at me so confusedly?
"Most girls would find enough! You should have heard the dowagers cluck,
Ethel!" exclaimed the General, her face losing its vexed look at the
thought.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237