"I am double her age," he thought. "I have a son old enough to be her husband; how can I hope?"
But for all that he talked, and Grace listened, her sewing lying idly in her lap; one hand shading her face, the other held in his. He talked long and earnestly, and she listened, silent and with shaded face.
"And now Grace, my dear, you have heard all; what do you say? When I lose my girls, shall I go back to the old life, or shall I stay? I can"t stay unless you say yes, Grace. I am double your age, but I love you very dearly, and will do my best to make you happy. My dear, what do you say?" She looked up at him for the first time, her eyes full of tears.
"Yes!"
CHAPTER XIV.
TRYING TO BE TRUE.
Late that evening, the sleighing party returned in high good spirits--all exhilaration after their long drive through the frosty air.
Crescent moon and silver stars spangled the deep Canadian sky, glittering coldly bright in the hard white snow, as they jingled merrily up to the door.
"Oh, what a night!" Kate cried. "It is profanation to go indoors."
"It is frostbitten noses to stay out," answered Reginald. "Moonlight is very well in its place; but I want my dinner."
The sleighing party had had one dinner that day, but were quite ready for another. They had stopped at noon at a country inn, and fared sumptuously on fried ham and eggs and sour Canadian bread, and then had gone off rambling up the hills and into the woods.
How it happened, no one but Reginald Stanford ever knew; but it did happen that Kate was walking beside Jules La Touche up a steep, snowy hill, and Reginald was by Rose"s side in a dim, gloomy forest-path. Rose had no objection. She walked beside him, looking very pretty, in a black hat with long white plume and little white veil. They had walked on without speaking until her foolish heart was fluttering, and she could stand it no longer. She stopped short in the woodland aisle, through which the pale March sunshine sifted, and looked up at him for the first time.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"For a walk," replied Mr. Stanford, "and a talk. You are not afraid, I hope?"
"Afraid?" said Rose, the colour flushing her face. "Of what should I be afraid?"
"Of me!"
"And why should I be afraid of you?"
"Perhaps because I may make love to you? Are you?"
"No."
"Come on, then."
He offered his arm, and Rose put her gloved fingers gingerly in his coat-sleeve, her heart fluttering more than ever.
"You are going to be married," he said, "and I have had no opportunity of offering my congratulations. Permit me to do it now."
"Thank you."
"Your M. La Touche is a pleasant little fellow, Rose. You and he have my best wishes for your future happiness."
"The "pleasant little fellow" and myself are exceedingly obliged to you!" her eyes flashing; "and now, Mr. Stanford, if you have said all you have to say, suppose we go back?"
"But I have not said all I have to say, nor half. I want to know why you are going to marry him?"
"And I want to know," retorted Rose, "what business it is of yours?"
"Be civil Rose! I told you once before, if you recollect, that I was very fond of you. Being fond of you, it is natural I should take an interest in your welfare. What are you going to marry him for?"
"For love!" said Rose, spitefully.
"I don"t believe it! Excuse me for contradicting you, my dear Rose; but I don"t believe it. He is a good-looking lamb-like little fellow, and he is worth forty thousand pounds; but I don"t believe it!"
"Don"t believe it, then. What you believe, or what you disbelieve, is a matter of perfect indifference to me," said Rose, looking straight before her with compressed lips.
"I don"t believe that, either. What is the use of saying such things to me?"
"Mr. Stanford, do you mean to insult me?" demanded Rose furiously. "Let me go this instant. Fetch me back to the rest. Oh, if papa were here, you wouldn"t dare to talk to me like that. Reginald Stanford, let me go.
I hate you!"
For Mr. Stanford had put his arm around her waist, and was looking down at her with those darkly daring eyes. What could Rose do?--silly, love-sick Rose. She didn"t hate him, and she broke out into a perfect pa.s.sion of sobs.
"Sit down, Rose," he said, very gently, leading her to a mossy knoll under a tree; "and, my darling, don"t cry. You will redden your eyes, and swell your nose, and won"t look pretty. Don"t cry any more!"
If Mr. Stanford had been trying for a week, he could have used no more convincing argument.
Rose wiped her eyes gracefully; but wouldn"t look at him.
"That"s a good girl!" said Stanford. "I will agree to everything rather than offend you. You love M. La Touche, and you hate me. Will that do?"
"Let us go back," said Rose, stiffly, getting up. "I don"t see what you mean by such talk. I know it is wrong and insulting."
"Do you feel insulted?" he asked, smiling down at her.
"Let me alone!" cried Rose, the pa.s.sionate tears starting to her eyes again. "Let me alone, I tell you! You have no business to torment me like this!"
He caught her suddenly in his arms, and kissed her again and again.
"Rose! Rose! my darling! you love me, don"t you? My dear little Rose, I can"t let you marry Jules La Touche, or any one else."
He released her just in time.
"Rose! Rose!" Kate"s clear voice was calling somewhere near.
"Here we are," returned Stanford, in answer, for Rose was speechless; and two minutes later they were face to face with Miss Danton and M. La Touche.
Mr. Stanford"s face was clear as the blue March sky, but Rose looked as flushed and guilty as she felt. She shrank from looking at her sister or lover, and clung involuntarily to Reginald"s arm.
"Have you been plotting to murder any one?" asked Kate. "You look like it."