Part 22 (2/2)
”Dear Lady Caroline,” interposed Claude hastily, ”everything is as it was. Hunt's story is a complete fabrication; I'd no idea that you knew anything about it.”
”I couldn't help telling Lady Caroline,” said Jack. Lady Caroline turned upon him with hot suspicion.
”You said it was all----”
He interrupted her.
”I was _going_ to say that it was all up with Hunt. He loses two hundred a year for his pains.”
”Is that possible?” cried her Ladys.h.i.+p.
”It's the case,” said Claude; ”so everything is as it was, and as it should be.”
Lady Caroline exhibited no further trace of her discomfiture.
”I wish we hadn't all interrupted each other,” she laughed. ”_I_ was about to remark that the smoking-cap, which was originally intended to have what one may term a frieze, as well as a dado, of gold lace, will look much better without the frieze, so there's really no more to do to it. Take it, my dear, dear Jack, and wear it sometimes for my sake. And forgive a mother for what one said about Olivia's ride. Claude, I shall make another cap for you; meanwhile, let me congratulate you--again--on your n.o.ble conduct of to-day. Ah, you neither of you congratulate me on mine! Yet I am a woman, and I've kept your joint secret--most religiously--from nine in the morning to this very hour!”
CHAPTER XVI
”LOVE THE GIFT”
Her answer was altogether astonis.h.i.+ng; she leant back in the boat and looked him full in the face. A quick flush tinged her own, and the incomparable eyebrows were raised and arched; but underneath there was an honest tenderness which Olivia was not the girl to conceal.
”Was that your water-lilies?” said she; but this was not the astonis.h.i.+ng speech. He had lured her afloat on impudently false pretences; she had a right to twit him with that.
”There are no water-lilies,” he confessed; ”at least, never mind them if there are. Oh, I was obliged to make some excuse! There was nowhere else where we could talk so well. I tell you again I have the cheek to love you! I can't help it; I've loved you ever since that day in London, and you've got to know it for good or bad. If it makes you very angry, I'll row you back this minute.” He was resting on his oars under cover of the little island; the Towers were out of sight.
”Why in the world didn't you speak yesterday?” was Olivia's extraordinary reply.
”Yesterday?” faltered Jack.
”It was such a chance!”
”Not for me! My tongue was tied. Olivia, I was under a frightful cloud yesterday! You don't understand----”
”What if I do? What if I did at the time?”
”I don't see how you could,” said Jack.
”Instinctively,” replied Olivia, to screen her mother. ”I knew something was wrong, and I have since been told what. If only you had spoken then!”
She dropped her eyes swiftly; the tear ran down her cheek.
”But why? Why then, better than now?”
”Because _I_ care, too,” she whispered, so that the words just travelled to his ear.
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