Part 18 (2/2)
”You brought back with you a companion.”
”No, not a companion,” she interposed gently. ”You must not think that, Capitaine Rotherby. He was just a person who--who had to come.
You are not cross with me,” she asked, lifting her eyes a little timidly to mine, ”that there are some things which I do not tell you?”
”No, I am not cross!” I answered slowly. ”Only, if you felt it possible,” I added, ”to give me your entire confidence, it seems to me that it would be better. I will ask you to believe,” I continued, ”that I am not merely a curious person. I am--well, more than a little interested.”
She held out both her hands and raised her eyes to mine. Through the filmy lace of her veil I could see that they were very soft, almost as though tears were gathering there.
”Oh! I do believe you, Capitaine Rotherby,” she said, ”and I would be very, very happy if I could tell you now all the things which trouble me, all the things which I do not understand! But I may not. I may not--just now.”
”Whenever you choose,” I answered, ”I shall be ready to hear. Whenever you need my services, they are yours.”
”You do trust me a little, then?” she asked quickly.
”Implicitly!” I answered.
”You do not mind,” she continued, ”that I tell you once more that I am going out, and that I must go out alone?”
”Why, no!” I answered. ”If you do not need me, there is an end of it.”
”You are very good to me,” she said. ”Perhaps this afternoon, if you have a few minutes to spare, we might talk, eh?”
”At any time you say,” I answered.
”At four o'clock, then,” she said, ”you will come here and sit with me for a little time. Perhaps this evening, if you have nothing to do--”
she asked.
”I have nothing to do,” I interrupted promptly.
”I do not know how I shall feel,” she said, ”about going out, but I would like to see you, anyhow.”
”I shall come,” I promised her. ”Some time within the next few days I must go down to Norfolk--”
”To Norfolk?” she interrupted quickly. ”Is that far away?”
”Only a few hours,” I answered.
”You will stay there?” she exclaimed.
I shook my head.
”I think not,” I answered. ”I think I shall come back directly I have seen my brother.”
She lifted her eyes to mine.
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