Part 40 (1/2)
”To conquer the Yankees?” she hazarded.
”No, to conquer some pride or whim of the girl who confessed once that she loved me.”
”Take my advice, Monsieur,” she said with a cool little smile. ”No doubt you have been fortunate enough to hear those words many times--I should think it quite probable,” and she let her eyes rest approvingly for a moment on his face; ”but it is well to consider the girls who make those avowals before you place full credence on the statement--not that they _always_ mean to deceive,” she amended, ”but those three words have a most peculiar fascination for girlhood--they like to use them even when they do not comprehend the meaning.”
He shook his head as he looked at her.
”It is no use, Madame la Marquise,” he said, and the ardent eyes met her own and made her conscious of a sudden fear. ”You reason it out very well--philosophy is one of your hobbies, isn't it? I always detested women with hobbies--the strong-minded woman who reasons instead of feeling; and now you are revenging the whole army of them by making me feel beyond reason. But you shan't evade me by such tactics. Do you remember what your last spoken words to me were, three years ago?”
Her face paled a little, she lifted the bridle to urge her horse onward, but he laid his hand on her wrist.
”No, pardon me, but I must speak to you--day and night I have thought of them, and now that you are here--oh, I know you sent me away--that is, you hid from me; and why, Judithe? I believe on my soul it was because you meant those words when you said: '_I love you now, and from the first moment you ever looked at me!_' I told myself at first, when I left France, that it was all falsehood, coquetry--but I could not keep that belief, for the words rang too true--you thought you were going over that bank to death, and all your heart was in your voice and your eyes. That moment has come back to me a thousand times since; has been with me in the thick of battle, singing through my ears as the bullets whistled past. '_I love you now, and from the first moment you ever looked at me._' It is no use to pretend you did not mean those words then. I know in my heart you did. You were bound in some way, no doubt, and fancied you had no right to say them. The announcement of your engagement suggested that. But you are free now, or you would not be here, and I must be heard.”
”Be satisfied then,” she replied, indifferently, though her hand trembled on the bridle, ”you perceive you have, thanks to your stronger arm, an audience of one.”
”You are angry at my presumption--angry at the advantage I have taken of the situation?” he asked. ”I grant you are right; but remember, it is now or perhaps never with me; and it is the presumption of love--a woman should forgive that.”
”They usually do, Monsieur,” she replied, with a little shrug and glance of amus.e.m.e.nt. For one bewildered instant she had lost control of herself, and had only the desire to flee; but it was all over now, she remembered another point to be made in the game--something to postpone the finale until she had seen Pierson.
”It is not just to me,” he said, meeting her mocking glance with one that was steadfast and determined. ”However your sentiments have changed, I know you cared for me that day, as I have cared for you ever since, and now that you have come here--to my own country, to my mother's house, I surely may ask this one question: Why did you accept the love I offered, and then toss it away almost in the same breath?”
”I may reply by another question,” she said, coolly. ”What right had you to make any offers of love to me at any time? What right have you now?”
”What right?”
”Yes; does your betrothed approve? Is that another of the free inst.i.tutions in your land of liberties?”
”What do you mean?--my betrothed?”
”Your betrothed,” she said, and nodded her head with that same cool little smile. ”I heard her name that evening of the drive you remember so well; our friend, the Countess Helene, mentioned it to me--possibly for fear my very susceptible heart might be won by your protection of us,” and she glanced at him again, mockingly. ”You had forgotten to mention it to me, but it really does not matter, I have learned since then that gentlemen absolutely cannot go around reciting the lists of former conquests--it is too apt to prevent the acquisition of new ones. I did not realize it then--there were so many things I could not realize; and I felt piqued at your silence; but,” with an expressive little gesture and a bright smile, ”I am no longer so. I come to your home; I clasp hands with you; I meet your bride-elect, Miss Loring--she is remarkably pretty, Monsieur, and I am quite prepared to dance at your wedding; therefore--”
”Marquise, on my honor as a man,” he did not see the scornful light in her eyes as he spoke of his honor; ”there has never been a word of love between Gertrude Loring and myself; it is nothing but family gossip dating from the time we were children, and encouraged by her uncle for reasons entirely financial. We have both ignored it. We are all fond of her, and I believe my mother at one time did hope it would be so arranged, but I hope she wins a better fellow than myself; she cares no more for me than I for her.”
They had turned into the Terrace grounds. Evilena was running out to meet them. She was so close now she could hear what he said if it were not for her own swiftness.
”Judithe! One word, a look; you believe me?”
She said nothing, but she did flash one meaning glance at him, and then his sister was at the stirrup and he swung out of the saddle to kiss her.
CHAPTER XXIII.
”Of course we are anxious to hear all you dare tell us about the success of your mission over there,” said his mother, an hour later, when the riders had done justice to a delightful breakfast. ”Are all the arrangements made by our people entirely satisfactory?”
”Entirely, mother. This is the twenty-second of September, isn't it?
Well, it is an open secret now. The vessel secured goes into commission today, and will be called the Alabama.”
”Hurrah for the Alabama!” cried Evilena, who was leaning on the back of her brother's chair. He put his arm around her and turned to Judithe.
”Have you become acquainted with the patriotic ardor of my little sister?” he asked. ”I a.s.sure you we have to fight these days if we want to keep the affections of our Southern girls.”