Part 17 (2/2)

”I fancy there's a little rivalry,” he suggested.

”Oh, I don't know!” with an attempt at unconcern. ”He never did like him at any time.”

”Blake is a very clever man,” thoughtfully.

”Yes--but he's awfully conceited. I'm always trying to take him down a little.”

There was a short silence, then Ted remarked very quietly:

”This time to-morrow I shall be on my way home, and my holiday will be over--the very best holiday I ever had in my life. I suppose I shall not see you again until next summer, when I hope to come back!”

”I guess not.”

”I'm sorry Omeath is so far from London--”

Paddy began to fidget, and kept her eyes fixed on the group in the hall.

Ted watched here again with that keen gaze of his; and a great tenderness all unknown to himself spread over his strong face. He seemed to see instinctively, that in some way, a hard time lay ahead for this eager, impulsive girl; and that with all his love and devotion, he would have to stand aside and look on, without being able to help her.

If so, he knew that whatever it proved for her, it could not be less hard for him, and his heart sank a little. He wanted very much to tell her about his love before he went home, but her very att.i.tude told him the uselessness of it, and he did not want to vex her their last evening.

So instead, he asked with a smile: ”Would it be too sentimental to say 'thank you' for all you've done to make my holiday the best I've ever had?”

”Yes, decidedly. Besides, I haven't done anything at all except torment you occasionally. Let us go down to the hall. I want to know what they're all laughing at,” and she got up without another word and led the way downstairs.

Jack glanced toward them as they approached, and Paddy saw vaguely an expression of pain underlying the gaiety of his manner, that hurt her like a blow. She could not bear to be miserable herself, but she could bear it still less if those she loved were miserable. She looked round vaguely for Eileen, feeling an impulse to annihilate Lawrence, and make Eileen see how things stood. But neither were to be seen. Under the large palm by the fountain in the conservatory, Lawrence was again feasting his eyes on his partner's loveliness, and skillfully drawing that changing colour to her cheeks, and those lights and shadows to her beautiful eyes.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE CONSERVATORY AND THE DEN.

The fountain had a little tinkling, singing sound, and there was a delicious odour of flowers, which mingled entrancingly with the shaded lights and graceful bending ferns. Eileen felt it rather than saw it, as though all her senses had become one deep appreciation and enjoyment.

Long afterward, when recalling every moment of that quiet half-hour, she was conscious of exactly the light, and the scent, and the sound, and would shrink away from certain hot-house flowers as if they hurt her.

But for the present there was only a deep content in her heart and a vague dream of happiness, shedding a soft light over all her future. In all their intercourse, it seemed to her that Lawrence had never been quite so fascinating before, and though now and then he seemed to draw himself up sharply and suddenly adopt a very matter-of-fact tone, she scarcely heeded it. In truth, though Lawrence meant to enjoy his half-hour to the full, he had no intention of becoming lover-like; and when he found her charm growing too much for him, he did indeed pull himself up with a jerk and try to resist. Yet he could not bring himself to be sufficiently honest to speak of his approaching departure for India. He felt there was time enough, and if he told her now, he might be led into explanations that would be troublesome.

And Lawrence hated anything at all disturbing or troublesome, or in the nature of an explanation.

Eileen was not blind to his failings, and many a time his callousness had hurt her, but, like so many good women, she had a boundless faith in the power of goodness, and believed she could make anything of him once he loved her. In this she was doubtless right, but she was too pure-minded and honest herself to perceive double-dealing in others, and she did not realise that a man like Lawrence might act one thing and feel another.

_If_ he had loved her, she might have made anything of him; yet--but what if he did not? Lawrence admired her beauty and respected her goodness, but he did not love her--he only pretended to himself that he liked her better than any one else when they happened to be together.

Possibly, if ”love” came at will, he would have chosen then and there to love her with his whole heart and make her his wife. But Love is a fugitive, wild thing--bold as a robin, and timid as a lark--and usually none can fit any ”why” or ”wherefore” to its erratic wanderings. And hand in hand with Love is usually Pain--pain against which we cry out blindly, and wrestle and struggle to escape--childishly indifferent to the teaching of the Ages--that Pain alone is the soil in which grow Strength, and Courage, and Joy.

In the worst hour of her suffering afterward, Eileen was yet, in a sense, happier and richer than the man who caused the pain.

But now the fountain tinkled and the lights glowed softly, and the scent of hot-house flowers filled the air.

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