"We will undeceive him; I can give him proofs, "strong as Holy Writ;"
and, if he loves you, he will be open to conviction. All will come right after a while; only have patience and wait. Keep up a good heart, my dear child, and trust in G.o.d."
She dropped feebly into a chair, looking with a bewildered face at the fire.
"I can"t realize it," she murmured. "It is like a scene in a novel. I can"t realize it."
She heard the door close behind Doctor Frank--she heard a girlish voice accost him in the hall. It was Miss Rose, in a rustling silk dinner-dress, with laces, and ribbons, and jewels fluttering and sparkling about her.
"Is Agnes Darling in there?" she asked suspiciously.
"Yes. I have just been making a professional call."
"Professional! I thought she was well."
"Getting well, my dear Miss Rose; getting well, I am happy to say. It is the duty of a conscientious physician to see after his patients until they are perfectly recovered."
"I wonder if conscientious physicians find the duty more binding in the case of young and pretty patients than in that of old and ugly ones?"
"No," said Doctor Frank, impressively. "To professional eyes, the suffering fellow-creature is a suffering fellow-creature, and nothing more. Think better of us, my dear girl; think better of me."
After dinner, in the drawing-room, Captain Danton, with Grace for a partner, the Doctor with Eeny, sat down to a game of cards. Kate sat at the piano, singing a fly-away duet with Miss Howard. Mr. Howard stood at Miss Danton"s right elbow devotedly turning the music; and in a little cozy velvet sofa, just big enough for two, Reginald and Rose were tete-a-tete.
In the changed days that came after, Doctor Frank remembered that picture--the exquisite face at the piano, the slender and stately form, the handsome man, and the pretty coquette on the sofa. The song sung that night brought the tableau as vividly before him years and years after, as when he saw it then.
The song was ended. Miss Danton"s ringed white fingers were flying over the keys in a brilliant waltz. George Howard and Rose were floating round and round, in air, as it seemed, and Stanford was watching with half-closed eyes. And in the midst of all, above the ringing music and the sighing of the wild wind, there came the clanging of sleigh-bells and a loud ring at the house-door. Rose and George Howard ceased their waltz. Kate"s flying fingers stopped. The card-party looked up inquisitively.
"Who can it be," said the Captain, ""who knocks so loud, and knocks so late," this stormy night?"
The servant who threw open the drawing-room door answered him. "M. La Touche," announced Babette, and vanished.
There was a little cry of astonishment from Rose; an instant"s irresolute pause. Captain Danton arose. The name was familiar to him from his daughter. But Rose had recovered herself before he could advance, and came forward, her pretty face flushed.
"Where on earth did you drop from?" she asked, composedly shaking hands with him. "Did you snow down from Ottawa?"
"No," said M. La Touche. "I"ve snowed down from Laprairie. I came from Montreal in this evening"s train, and drove up here, in spite of wind and weather."
Captain Danton came forward; and Rose, still a little confused, presented M. La Touche. The cordial Captain shook with his usual heartiness the proffered hand of the young man, bade him welcome, and put an instant veto on his leaving them that night.
"There are plenty of bedrooms here, and it is not a night to turn an enemy"s dog from the door. My cousin, Miss Grace Danton, M. La Touche; my daughter, Eveleen; and Doctor Frank Danton."
M. La Touche bowed with native grace to these off-hand introductions, and then was led off by Rose to the piano-corner, to be duly presented there. She had not made up her mind yet whether she were vexed or pleased to see her lover. Whatever little affection she had ever given him--and it must have been of the flimsiest from the first--had evaporated long ago, like smoke. But Rose had no idea of pining in maiden solitude, even if she lost the fascinating Reginald, and she knew that homely old saw about coming to the ground between two stools.
M. La Touche had the good fortune to produce a pleasing impression upon all to whom he was introduced. He was very good-looking, with dark Canadian eyes and hair, and olive skin. He was rather small and slight, and his large dark eyes were dreamy, and his smile as gentle as a girl"s.
Mr. Stanford, resigned his place on the sofa to M. La Touche, and Rose and the young Canadian were soon chattering busily in French.
"Why did you not write and tell me you were coming?"
"Because I did not know I was coming. Rose, I am the luckiest fellow alive!"
His dark eyes sparkled; his olive face flushed. Rose looked at him wonderingly.
"How?"
"I have had a fortune left me. I am a rich man, and I have come here to tell you, my darling Rose."
"A fortune!" repeated Rose, opening her brown eyes.
"Yes, _m"amour_! You have heard me speak of my uncle in Laprairie, who is very rich? Well, he is dead, and has left all he possesses to me."
Rose clasped her hands.
"And how much is it?"
"Forty thousand pounds!"
"Forty thousand pounds!" repeated Rose, quite stunned by the magnitude of the sum.
"Am I not the luckiest fellow in the world?" demanded the young legatee with exultation. "I don"t care for myself alone, Rose, but for you.
There is nothing to prevent our marriage now."
Rose wilted down suddenly, and began fixing her bracelets.
"I shall take a share in the bank with my father," pursued the young man; "and I shall speak to your father to-morrow for his consent to our union!"
Rose still twitched her bracelets, her colour coming and going. She could see Reginald Stanford without looking up; and never had he been so handsome in her eyes; never had she loved him as she loved him now.
"You say nothing, Rose," said her lover. "_Mon Dieu!_ you cannot surely love me less!"
"Hush!" said Rose, rather sharply, "they will hear you. It isn"t that, but--but I don"t want to be married just yet. I am too young."
"You did not think so at Ottawa."
"Well," said Rose, testily; "I think so now, and that is enough. I can"t get married yet; at least not before July."
"I am satisfied to wait until July," said La Touche, smiling. "No doubt, you will feel older and wiser by that time."
"Does your father know?" asked Rose.
"Yes, I told him before I left home. They are all delighted. My mother and sisters send endless love."
Rose remained silent for a moment, thoughtfully twisting her bracelet.
She liked wealth, but she liked Reginald Stanford better than all the wealth in the world. Jules La Touche, with forty thousand pounds, was not to be lightly thrown over; but she was ready at any moment to throw him over for the comparatively poor Englishman. She had no wish to offend her lover. Should her dearer hopes fail, he would be a most desirable party.
"What is the matter with you, Rose?" demanded Jules, uneasily. "You are changed. You are not what you were in Ottawa. Even your letters of late are not what they used to be. Why is it? What have I done?"
"You foolish fellow," said Rose, smiling, "nothing! I am not changed.
You only fancy it."