Part 22 (1/2)
”We'll be engaged, if you please, Heather, for six weeks at the longest.
Oh, we've a lot to do with our beautiful lives, and we'll begin by enjoying ourselves--that, at least, is fair. We will just be married when the summer is at her glorious prime, and we'll go away and away, and be happy for evermore! That is what we'll do, dear little one. And now, let's be quick. I want to set this matter in train. I want to hurry the lagging hours; I want to claim my wife!”
Captain Carbury rose. He was a tall man, and I was, if anything, rather short for the modern girl.
”Why, Heather,” he said, looking down at me, his eyes dancing with pleasure and happiness, ”I didn't realise until this minute that you were only a little girl.”
”Am I?” I said.
”You have a tall effect,” he remarked; ”but you are little--on the _pet.i.te_ side.”
”That is, compared to you,” I answered.
”I am six foot one exactly,” was his reply. ”Heather, how dark your eyes are! and how delicate your complexion--and how very soft and beautiful is your hair! You resemble in some ways an Eastern princess, except that you have all the fire, and intelligence, and imagination of the West.
You are my princess, Heather. Now, what are you going to say to me? You must flatter me, too, you know, although,” he added, his voice becoming very serious, ”there is no flattery in my present remarks. What are you going to say to me?” he inquired.
”You are my prince,” I said, looking up at him, and then looking down at once.
”Your poor prince must have a name.”
”You are my prince, Captain Carbury.”
”Oh, come! What nonsense! You must say more.”
”If you wish it,” I answered. ”You are my prince----”
”Well, go on.”
”Vernon.”
”There! I never knew I had so nice a name; simply because I have never heard it before from your sweet lips. Now, shall we get back to your house, otherwise her ladys.h.i.+p may be downstairs, and it happens to be Major Grayson whom I want to see.”
We walked quickly across the Park, and met Morris with her fresh basket of violets. She walked behind, and as we crossed the streets we kept rather close to each other, for although, of course, we did not touch, even once, over and over I repeated to my own heart, ”Heather, you are engaged to Vernon Carbury--Heather, some day Vernon Carbury will be your husband--Vernon Carbury, Vernon Carbury. And yet, a few days ago, you hardly knew that you cared for him; but you know it now--yes, you know it now!”
At last we reached Hanbury Square.
There is no more fas.h.i.+onable square in the best part of the West of London, there are no finer houses to be found anywhere.
I ran up the steps of the house, and Captain Carbury did likewise, and it was he who rang the bell.
A powdered footman opened the door, and Captain Carbury said:
”Is Major Grayson in?”
”Major Dalrymple is in, sir.”
”Will you say that Captain Carbury has called to see him? Ask him if he will be good enough to give me a few moments of his time.”
The man opened the door of one of the sitting-rooms, and Vernon and I went in.