"Your wife!" she faltered.
"Yes--my wife."
She turned and looked straight at him. Agitated as she was within, her manner did not betray it. Calmly she said:
"You take me by surprise. I am greatly flattered, but--is it not rather sudden? We know so little of each other--"
Impulsively he seized her hand, and held it tight in his. She did not attempt to withdraw it. He was so moved that he could scarcely control his voice:
"I do not have to know you long to be convinced that you are the only woman with whom I could be happy."
"But are you convinced?" she persisted. "Do you really love me?"
Abruptly he released her hand and sat up. In his eyes flashed the same ardor as before, but somehow the expression of his face had changed.
He was no longer the eager unsophisticated lover, ready to do anything, say anything, in order to gain his end, but the resourceful, masterly man, accustomed to direct and control his own affairs, the man who will brook no interference with his will, even from the woman who may bear his name. Slowly, almost coldly, he replied:
"You wish for the truth?"
"Yes."
He drew himself up and looked her squarely in the face. There was nothing of the lover in his manner now. An observer would have thought he was discussing with her some matter of business. And to him it was a matter of business--a matter to be discussed from every point of view and, above all, honestly. There must be no misunderstanding from the start. In this, he thought as she did. Their opinions on this one point were in curious harmony. He would not lie to her. He would make her his wife, give her all the money, all the furbelows, all the luxuries her heart desired, but he would not pretend something that was not. He would play cards upon the table. Guardedly he said:
"I feel always that I want to be near you, to be tender to you, to look after and guard you, shield you from all trouble and harm--if that is love, then I love you."
"And if I don"t consider that--love?" she demanded, with a little nervous laugh.
The millionaire shook his head.
"Then I am afraid that I shall never love any one," he said. "You see, life with me has been one long fight. As a boy, I fought for bread; as a youth, I fought for an education, as a man, I fought for success.
Everything I possess to-day I have wrested from the world, and while getting it I have been too busy for romance and love-making. But I think this will prove what regard I have for you. I have been attracted to many women, but you are the only woman I have ever asked to marry me. I await your answer. Will you be my wife?"
The girl looked up at him, gazing earnestly Into his eyes, as if trying to read there if he was the kind of a man to whom a girl might entrust her happiness. Slowly she said:
"You don"t even trouble to ask if I love you?"
"I don"t expect you to--yet," he answered, with a smile.
"And you would have me marry you, knowing that I do not love you?"
"But I think you like me--a little. Don"t you?"
"Do you wish for the truth?"
"Yes."
"I do like you--more than like you--but I don"t love you--yet."
"Do you love any other man?"
"No."
"Do you like any other man more than you like me?"
"No."
Once more he bent forward. Eagerly he said:
"Then give me a chance--marry me, and I"ll make you love me."
"You"ll--make me--" she echoed.
"Yes," he murmured ardently. "I"ll make you! And when once I have your love, I"ll hold it against the world! Be my wife! I"ll be a loyal and faithful husband. You shan"t have a single care. You shall have every luxury that money can buy. Virginia--will you marry me?"
His words, vibrating as they were with pa.s.sion, sounded to her ears like music. Was this, then, the love call which nearly every woman heard some time in her life? And even if it was not love, would she not be a fool to let slip an opportunity such as came only to a few?
At least he was as honest as herself. He admitted it was not love he felt for her, but in time love would come to bless their union, there was no doubt of that. Did any newly married couple really love each other at first? It was impossible, yet no one had the courage to admit it. She must decide and quickly. Her future was at stake--f.a.n.n.y"s future, too--for her own prosperity would naturally help her sister.
Then, besides, he was such a nice, kind man. There was no reason she should not be happy. As she looked at him sideways, and noted his strong profile, his big, muscular frame, his air of energy and power, and thought of his success, his prominent position, his good reputation, she wondered to herself what more any girl could ask in a husband.
Suddenly she felt his hand close upon hers. Gently but firmly he drew her to him. She did not resist, but closed her eyes, feeling a delicious thrill at the sensation of this big, strong man taking possession of her in spite of her will. Her head fell back, and he leaned forward until his lips nearly touched hers. But they went no further. He held himself in control, as if holding back until his lips had the right to seal their troth. Softly he murmured:
"Tell me--tell me, Virginia--will you marry me?"
Like a little frightened bird, helplessly fluttering its wings in the captor"s strong hands, she trembled under his caress.
"I don"t know what to say," she murmured. "Give me time."
"Say yes," he murmured amorously.
Suddenly some one behind them coughed discreetly. Virginia, startled, sat up in confusion. She and Stafford had been so completely engrossed that they had not heard the entrance of Oku, who had come in to announce that dinner was ready.
"Excuse, please! Dinner, it is served!"
His master motioned him to go into the next room.
"Go and tell Miss Blaine and Mr. Gillie," he said in a slightly annoyed tone.
The servant disappeared, and Stafford, inwardly cursing Oku for the interruption, returned to the attack.
"Won"t you say yes?" he pleaded.
But the spell was broken--for the time at least. Virginia had risen, and was busy rearranging her rumpled dress.
Glad of the interruption, she shook her head. It was too serious a matter to be settled so quickly. She must have time to think.
"Not now," she murmured.
"Yes," he persisted, again approaching her.
Her very resistance spurred him on. Like most men, he valued most what he could not have. Had she yielded readily, he would have thought less of her. She drew back, as if avoiding his embrace.