Part 64 (1/2)
”I used to believe it wrong to marry a person one didn't love,”
Victoria broke in, quickly. ”But it's so different when one talks of an imaginary case. This poor girl loves you?”
”I suppose she thinks she does.”
”She's poor?”
”Yes.”
”And she depends upon you.”
”Of course she counts on me. I always expected to keep my word.”
”And now you'd break it--for me! Oh, no, I couldn't let you do it. Were you--does she expect to be married soon?”
Stephen's face grew red, as if it had been struck. ”Yes,” he answered, in a low voice.
”Would you mind--telling me how soon?”
”As soon as she gets back from Canada.”
Victoria's bosom rose and fell quickly.
”Oh!--and when----”
”At once. Almost at once.”
”She's coming back immediately?”
”Yes. I--I'm afraid she's in England now.”
”How dreadful! Poor girl, hoping to see you--to have you meet her, maybe, and--you're here. You're planning to break her heart. It breaks mine to think of it. I _couldn't_ have you fail.”
”For G.o.d's sake don't send me away from you. I can't go. I won't.”
”Yes, if I beg you to go. And I do. You must stand by this poor girl, alone in the world except for you. I see from what you tell me, that she needs you and appeals to your chivalry by lacking everything except what comes from you. It can't be wrong to protect her, after giving your promise, even though you mayn't love her in the way you once thought you did: but it _would_ be wrong to abandon her now----”
A rustling in the long path made Stephen turn. Some one was coming. It was Margot Lorenzi.
He could not believe that it was really she, and stared stupidly, thinking the figure he saw an optical illusion.
She had on a grey travelling dress, and a grey hat trimmed with black ribbon, which, Stephen noted idly, was powdered with dust. Her black hair was dusty, too, and her face slightly flushed with heat, nevertheless she was beautiful, with the luscious beauty of those women who make a strong physical appeal to men.
Behind her was an Arab servant, whom she had pa.s.sed in her eagerness. He looked somewhat troubled, but seeing Stephen he threw up his hands in apology, throwing off all responsibility. Then he turned and went back towards the house.
Margot, too, had seen Stephen. Her eyes flashed from him to the figure of the girl, which she saw in profile. She did not speak, but walked faster; and Victoria, realizing that their talk was to be interrupted by somebody, looked round, expecting Lady MacGregor or Saidee.
”It is Miss Lorenzi,” Stephen said, in a low voice. ”I don't know how--or why--she has come here. But for your sake--it will be better if you go now, at once, and let me talk to her.”
There was another path by which Victoria could reach the house. She might have gone, thinking that Stephen knew best, and that she had no more right than wish to stay, but the tall young woman in grey began to walk very fast, when she saw that the girl with Stephen was going.
”Be kind enough to stop where you are, Miss Ray. I know you must be Miss Ray,” Margot called out in a loud, sharp voice. She spoke as if Victoria were an inferior, whom she had a right to command.