Volume II Part 31 (1/2)
The nod with which, instead of a hand-shake, he wound up this little speech was perhaps rather a meagre form of salutation; but on the whole it was all the occasion demanded. Isabel reflected that after he left the room Lord Warburton would have no pretext for saying, ”Your husband's very angry”; which would have been extremely disagreeable to her. Nevertheless, if he had done so, she would have said: ”Oh, don't be anxious. He doesn't hate you: it's me that he hates!”
It was only when they had been left alone together that her friend showed a certain vague awkwardness--sitting down in another chair, handling two or three of the objects that were near him. ”I hope he'll make Miss Osmond come,” he presently remarked. ”I want very much to see her.”
”I'm glad it's the last time,” said Isabel.
”So am I. She doesn't care for me.”
”No, she doesn't care for you.”
”I don't wonder at it,” he returned. Then he added with inconsequence: ”You'll come to England, won't you?”
”I think we had better not.”
”Ah, you owe me a visit. Don't you remember that you were to have come to Lockleigh once, and you never did?”
”Everything's changed since then,” said Isabel.
”Not changed for the worse, surely--as far as we're concerned. To see you under my roof”--and he hung fire but an instant--”would be a great satisfaction.”
She had feared an explanation; but that was the only one that occurred.
They talked a little of Ralph, and in another moment Pansy came in, already dressed for dinner and with a little red spot in either cheek.
She shook hands with Lord Warburton and stood looking up into his face with a fixed smile--a smile that Isabel knew, though his lords.h.i.+p probably never suspected it, to be near akin to a burst of tears.
”I'm going away,” he said. ”I want to bid you good-bye.”
”Good-bye, Lord Warburton.” Her voice perceptibly trembled.
”And I want to tell you how much I wish you may be very happy.”
”Thank you, Lord Warburton,” Pansy answered.
He lingered a moment and gave a glance at Isabel. ”You ought to be very happy--you've got a guardian angel.”
”I'm sure I shall be happy,” said Pansy in the tone of a person whose certainties were always cheerful.
”Such a conviction as that will take you a great way. But if it should ever fail you, remember--remember--” And her interlocutor stammered a little. ”Think of me sometimes, you know!” he said with a vague laugh.
Then he shook hands with Isabel in silence, and presently he was gone.
When he had left the room she expected an effusion of tears from her stepdaughter; but Pansy in fact treated her to something very different.
”I think you ARE my guardian angel!” she exclaimed very sweetly.
Isabel shook her head. ”I'm not an angel of any kind. I'm at the most your good friend.”
”You're a very good friend then--to have asked papa to be gentle with me.”
”I've asked your father nothing,” said Isabel, wondering.
”He told me just now to come to the drawing-room, and then he gave me a very kind kiss.”