Part 52 (2/2)
She blushed scarlet, and attempted to withdraw her hands, but found it impossible.
”Quite true, and if crazy young gentlemen could be prevailed upon to keep silent, rest a.s.sured I should never have broached a subject, which I regard as premature. But while I certainly applaud your good sense, it is rather problematical whether I should feel gratified at your summary rejection of an alliance with my cousin. Are you fully resolved that I shall never be related to you, except as your guardian?”
”Yes, sir. I do not wish to be your cousin.”
Once more the smile shone out suddenly, making suns.h.i.+ne in his face.
”Thank you. At what hour will you see Mr. Roscoe?”
”At none. Please do not let him come here, or speak to me on that subject; it would be so extremely painful. I should never meet him afterward without feeling distressed, and things would be intolerably disagreeable. Please, Mr. Palma, s.h.i.+eld me from it.”
She involuntarily drew closer to him, as if for protection, and noting the movement, he smiled, and tightened his clasp of her hands.
”I cannot positively forbid him to address you on this terrible topic, but if you wish it, I will endeavour to dissuade him. Elliott has Palma blood in his veins, and that has certain unmistakable tendencies to obstinacy, though its conduct in love affairs yet remains to be tested; but it occurs to me that if you are in earnest in desiring to crush this foolish whim in the bud, you can very easily accomplish it by empowering me to make to my cousin a simple statement, which will extinguish the matter beyond all possibility of resurrection.”
”Then tell him whatever your judgment dictates.”
”My judgment must be instructed by facts, and the simple statement I propose might involve grave consequences. Do you authorize me to close the discussion of this matter at once and for ever, by informing Mr. Roscoe that you cannot entertain the thought of granting him an interview because his suit is hopeless from the fact that your affections are already engaged?”
She was too much embarra.s.sed by his piercing merciless eyes, to notice that he slipped one finger upon the pulse at her wrist, keeping her hands firmly in his warm clasp; or that he leaned lower as he spoke, until his n.o.ble ma.s.sive head very nearly approached hers.
”I could not ask you to tell him that. It would be untrue.”
”Are you sure, Lily?”
”Yes, Mr. Palma.”
”Have you forgotten Mr. Lindsay?”
He thought for an instant that the pulse stood still, then beat regularly calmly on, and he wondered if his own tight pressure had baffled his object.
”No, I never forget Mr. Lindsay.”
She did not shrink or colour, but a sad hopeless look crept into her splendid eyes at the mention of his name.
”You are certain that the young missionary will not prove the obstacle to your becoming more closely related to your guardian?
Thus far, I have found you singularly truthful in all things; be careful that just here you deceive neither yourself nor me. There is a tradition that in the river Inachus is found a peculiar stone resembling a beryl, which turns black in the hands of those who intend to bear false witness; and you can readily understand that lawyers find such stones invaluable in the court-room. I have placed you on the witness stand, and my beryl-tinted seal ring presses your palm at this instant. Be frank; are you not very deeply attached to Mr. Lindsay?”
Suddenly a burning flush bathed her brow, she struggled to free her hands in order to hide her face from his glowing probing eyes, but his hold was unyielding as a band of steel; and hardly conscious where she found shelter, she turned and pressed her cheek against his shoulder, striving to avoid that inquisitorial gaze.
She did not see his face grow grey and stony, or that the white teeth gnawed the lower lip; but when he spoke his voice was stern, and indescribably icy.
”My ward should study her heart before she empowers her guardian to consider it unoccupied property. You should at least inform your mother that it has become a mere missionary station.”
With her hot cheeks still hidden against his shoulder, she exclaimed:
”No, no! You do not at all understand me. I feel to him, to Dougla.s.s, exactly as I did when he went away.”
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