Part 17 (1/2)
”It means harm to us, Lance,” she said; ”I am sure of it.”
”Nonsense, my darling,” he cried; ”how can it be about us? Most likely there is a general election, or some business of that kind coming on, and he wants to see me about it.”
Still the beautiful face grew paler, and the shadows deepened in the dark eyes.
”Shall you go at once?” she asked.
Lord Chandos looked at his watch.
”The train starts at twelve,” he said. ”I must go in half an hour's time, Leone.”
”Half an hour,” she said, and the tender hands clasped him more tightly, ”only half an hour, Lance?”
Some prophetic instinct seemed to come over her; the pa.s.sionate love on her beautiful face deepened into tragedy; yet he had never breathed one word to her of what had taken place. She knew nothing of the lawsuit; and Lord Chandos never intended her to know anything about it; but with the chill of that autumn morning came a chill of doubt and fear such as she had never known before.
”How long shall you be away?” she asked.
”Not one moment longer than I am compelled to stay,” he replied. ”If my father really wants to see me on election affairs I may be absent two days; trust me, Leone; the first moment I am free I shall return;” and drawing her beautiful face down to his own the young husband kissed it with pa.s.sionate devotion, little dreaming of what lay before him.
”Only half an hour,” said Leone. ”Oh, Lance, let me spend it with you. I will order your portmanteau to be packed; my dear, do not let me leave you for one moment.”
She drew a little stool and sat down at his feet.
Lord Chandos laughed.
”One would think we were lovers still.”
She looked at him with that wonderful expression of face, so earnest, so intent, so lofty.
”So we are,” she said; ”we will be lovers until we die; shall we not, Lance?”
”I hope so; but we shall be unlike most married people, Leone, if we do that,” he replied.
”I will not believe you,” she answered. ”You laugh, sometimes, Lance, at love; but I am sure if I were your wife for fifty years you would never tire of me or love me less.”
”I never wish to do so,” he replied.
”You never will,” said Leone, ”my faith is as strong as my love, and you have it all. I could rather believe now that the heavens would fall over my head than you could ever for one moment forget me.”
”I shall never forget you, sweet,” he said; ”this is the first time we have ever been parted since we have been married; you must not be sad and lonely, Leone.”
”I shall spend all my time in thinking of your return,” she said.
”Lance, it will comfort me all the time you are away; you will say some of those beautiful words I love to hear.”
He took both her white hands in his.
”My darling,” he said, ”I love you with all my heart, and I will be true to you until death.”
The sweetness of the words seemed to content her for a time; she laid her face on his hands for some minutes in wistful silence.