Part 16 (2/2)
”What are you going to do now?” asked David sternly.
”Cut and run--cowards always do,” answered Andrew bitterly. ”I am going to stay and see you through this election, for it's too late to turn the press matters over to any one else--and I'm going to pray to find some way to make it easier for her before I leave her. I'm afraid some day she'll find out--and not understand why I went.”
”Why do you go, Andrew?” asked David as he faced this friend with compelling eyes. ”If it's pride that takes you, better give it up! It's deadly for you both, for she's more of a woman than you think--she'll suffer.”
”David, do you think she would have me if she knew what I put aside to take her--_and his millions_? Could Peters Brown's heiress ever have anything but contempt for me? When it comes to her she must understand--and not think I held it against her!”
”Tell her, Andrew; let her decide! It's her right now!”
”Never,” answered Andrew pa.s.sionately. ”She is just beginning to lose some of her sensitiveness among us and this is the worst of all the things she has felt were between her and her people. It is the only thing he covered and hid from her. I'll _never_ tell her--I'll go--and she will forget!” In his voice there was the note of finality that is unmistakable from man to man. He turned toward his room as he finished speaking.
”Then, boy,” said David as he held him back for a second in the bend of his arm, a tenderness in voice and clasp, ”go if you must; but we've three days yet. The G.o.ds can get mighty busy in that many hours if they pull on a woman's side--which they always do. Good night!”
CHAPTER X
LOVE'S HOME AND ANDREW SEVIER
And the Sabbath quiet which had descended on the frost-jeweled city the morning after the hunt found the Buchanan household still deep in close-shuttered sleep. Their fatigue demanded and was having its way in the processes of recuperation and they all slept on serenely.
Only Caroline Darrah was astir with the first deep notes of the early morning bells. Her awaking had come with a rush of pure, bubbling, unalloyed joy which turned her cheeks the hue of the rose, starred her eyes and melted her lips into heavenly curves. In her exquisite innocence it never dawned upon her that the moments spent in Andrew's arms under the winter moon were any but those of rapturous betrothal and her love had flowered in confident happiness. It was well that she caught across the distance no hint of the battle that was being waged in the heart of Andrew Sevier, for the man in him fought (for her) with what he deemed his honor, almost to the death--but not quite, for some men hold as honor that which is strong sinewed with self-control, red blooded with courage, infiltrated with pride and ruthlessly cruel.
And so Caroline hummed David's little serenade to herself as she dressed without Annette's a.s.sistance and smiled at her own radiance reflected at her from her mirrors. She had just completed a most ravis.h.i.+ng church toilet when she heard the major's door close softly and she knew that now she would find him before his logs awaiting breakfast.
She blushed another tone more rosy and her eyes grew shy at the very thought of meeting his keen eyes that always quizzed her with such delight after one of her initiations into the sports or gaieties of this new country. But a.s.suming her courage with her prayer-book, she softly descended the stairs, crossed the hall and stood beside his chair with a laugh of greeting.
”Well,” he demanded delightedly though in a guarded tone with a glance up as if at Mrs. Matilda's and Phoebe's closed doors, ”did you catch your possum?”
”Yes--that is--no! I didn't, but somebody did I think,” she answered with delicious confusion in both tone and appearance.
”Caroline Darrah,” demanded the major, ”do you mean to tell me that there is no certainty of anybody's having got a result from a foray of the magnitude of that last night? Didn't you even see a possum?”
”No, I didn't; but I know they caught some--David said so,” answered Caroline in a rea.s.suring voice.
”Caroline,” again demanded the major relentlessly, having already had his suspicions aroused by her confusion and blushes, ”where were you when David Kildare caught those beasts that you didn't see one?”
”I was--was lost,” she answered, and it surprised him that she didn't put one rosy finger-tip into her mouth, so very young was her further confusion.
”Alone?” The major made his demand without mercy.
”No, sir, with Mr. Sevier--why, aren't you going to have breakfast, Major, it is almost church time?” and Caroline rallied her domestic dignity to her support as she escaped toward Temple's domain.
And the flush of joy that had flamed in her cheeks had lighted a glow in the major's weather-tanned old face and his eyes fairly snapped with light. Could it be that the boy had reached out for his atonement? Could it be--he heard the front door close as the first church bell struck a deep note and at that moment Jeff announced his breakfast as ready in a voice of the deepest exhaustion.
And when Caroline emerged from the still darkened house into the crisp air she found Andrew Sevier standing on the front steps waiting to walk into church with her.
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