Part 39 (1/2)
”Is this the way,” she asked, ”that Americans woo? Do they imprison the lady of their choice in some retired spot and make a cash offer for their affections? You are at least original, Mr. Thain!”
”If I can't bring myself to ask you in plain words what I am craving for,” he answered hoa.r.s.ely, ”you can guess why. I know very well that there is only one thing about me that counts in your eyes. I know that I should be only an appendage to the money that would make your father happy and Mandeleys free. And yet I don't care. I want you--you first, and then yourself.”
”You have some faith, then, in your eligibility--and your methods of persuasion?” she observed.
”Haven't I reason?” he retorted. ”You people here are all filled up with rotten, time-exploded notions, bound with silken bonds, wors.h.i.+ppers of false G.o.ds. You don't see the truth--you don't know it.
I am not sure that I blame you, for it's a beautiful slavery, and but for the ugly realities of life you'd prosper in it and have children just as wonderful and just as ignorant. But, you see, the times are changing. I am one of the signs of them.”
”If this were an impersonal discussion,” Let.i.tia began, struggling to compose her voice--
”But it isn't,” he broke in. ”I am speaking of you and of me, and no one else. I'm fool enough to love you, to be mad about you! Fool enough to make you an offer of which any man with a grain of self-respect should be ashamed.”
”I quite agree with you,” she said smoothly. ”Perhaps it will end this very interesting little episode if I tell you that I am engaged to marry Lord Charles Grantham, and that he is coming down to-morrow.”
He released her hands--flung them from him almost.
”Is this the truth?” he demanded.
She laughed lightly.
”Why on earth,” she asked, ”should I take the trouble to tell you anything else?”
He pointed to the path.
”Get on,” he ordered.
She found herself obeying him--without resentment, even. When they reached the gate that led into the park, he held it open and remained.
She hesitated for a moment.
”You are going to leave me to brave the perils of the rest of the journey alone?” she asked.
He made no answer. She lifted her skirts a little, for the dew was becoming heavier, and made her graceful way down the slope and across the bridge to the postern gate. Arrived there, she looked round.
David Thain had vanished back into the grove.
Let.i.tia made her way into her own room and closed the door. She lit both of the candles upon her dressing table, pulled back the lace of her sleeves and looked at her wrists. There were two red marks there, red marks which, as she stared at them, seemed suddenly again to feel the iron pressure. She stared at them, half in surprise, without anger and yet with a curious emotion. Suddenly she found that she was trembling, obsessed with a strange yet irresistible impulse. She bent down and lightly kissed the flaming marks. Then she blew out the candles, threw herself into the easy-chair which, earlier in the day, she had drawn up to the window, and looked steadily back into the park now fast becoming a phantasy of shadowland.
CHAPTER XXVII
The Marquis, with several account books and Mr. Merridrew, who had ridden over from his office on a motor-bicycle, had settled down to a laborious evening. The former, for no particular reason, was enjoying a slight relapse into his customary optimism.
”I am not without expectation,” the Marquis commenced by explaining to his agent, ”that at the end of the next two months I may find myself in possession of a large sum of money. Under those circ.u.mstances, it will not be a purposeless proceeding to work out what is really required in the way of repairs on the various farms. It will be a great pleasure for me to meet my tenants in any way possible. On the whole, I consider that they have been very reasonable and loyal.”
Mr. Merridrew agreed with his lords.h.i.+p, agreed with him fervently.
”Some of them,” he confessed, ”have been very troublesome. A few of them have been driven to make some slight repairs themselves, but on the whole, your lords.h.i.+p, it would be a great relief if one were able to a.s.sist them so far as regards positive dilapidations.”
The Marquis dipped his pen in the ink and settled down to his task. At that moment, however, Gossett knocked at the door, opened it and advanced towards his master with a card upon a salver.
”The gentleman is staying at Fakenham, I believe, sir, and has motored over.”