Part 8 (2/2)

Those years have gone and my youth has gone. I've lived like other men since then. Heaven knows it has not been a life to boast of, Liane.

There have been days and years in it when I dared not trust myself to remember what had been--days of madness and folly, and months of useless apathy. Ah!” he sighed, ”I was straight enough before my marriage, but my life was wrecked solely by that woman.”

His daughter listened intently, and when he had finished she echoed his deep sigh. Her father had never before told her the tragic story. She had always believed that her mother died of fever in India a year after marriage.

”Then my mother is not dead?” she observed reflectively.

”I do not know. To me she has been dead these eighteen years,” he answered, with a stern look upon his hard-set features. A lump rose in his throat, and in his eye there was a suspicion of a tear.

”Was she like me?” Liane asked softly, still holding her father's hand and looking up at him.

”Yes, darling,” he replied. ”Sometimes when you look at me I shrink from you because your eyes are so like hers. She was just your age when I married her.”

There was a long and painful silence. The hearts of father and daughter were too full for words. They were indeed an incongruous pair. He was a reckless gamester, a cunning adventurer, whose career had more than once brought him within an ace of arrest, while she, although prematurely versed in the evil ways of a polyglot world, where the laws of rect.i.tude and morality were lax, was nevertheless pure, honest and good.

”But, dear old dad, why may I not marry George?” she asked when, after thinking deeply over the truth regarding her parentage, her mind reverted to thoughts of the man she loved.

”I cannot sufficiently explain the reason now,” he answered vaguely.

”Some day, when I am aware of all the facts, you shall know.”

”But I can love no other man,” she exclaimed decisively, with eyes downcast.

”You know my wish, Liane,” her father answered rather coldly. ”I feel sure you will endeavour to respect it.”

”I cannot, father! I really cannot!” she cried starting up. ”Besides, you give me no reason why I should not marry.”

”I am unable to explain facts of which I am as yet unaware,” he said, withdrawing his hand.

”We love each other, therefore I cannot see why you should object.”

”I do not doubt that there is affection between you, but my objection is well based, I a.s.sure you, as some day you will be convinced.”

”Have you any antipathy against George personally?”

”None whatever; I rather like him,” he said. ”I only tell you in plain, straightforward terms that your marriage with him is impossible, therefore the sooner you part the better;” and opening the door, he slowly left the room.

Deep in thought, Liane stood leaning against the table, in the same position as Zertho had stood when he had asked the captain for her hand.

Evidently her father entertained some deep-rooted prejudice against the Stratfields; nevertheless, after calm reflection, she felt confident that sooner or later she could over-rule his objection, and persuade him to adopt her view, as she had done on previous occasions without number.

On the following afternoon a double funeral attracted hundreds of persons to the churchyard of Stratfield Mortimer, where Nelly Bridson was laid to rest in a plain grave, beneath a drooping willow, and the body of Sir John Stratfield, fourteenth baronet, was placed in the family vault, among his ancestors. When the interments were over, George met Liane and managed to whisper a few words to her. It was an appointment, and in accordance with his request, she went at sundown along the chestnut avenue to the Court, and was at once shown to the library, where her lover awaited her.

Her mourning became her well. His quick eyes detected that her black dress, though not new, bore the unmistakable cut of the fas.h.i.+onable dressmaker. Her figure, perfect in symmetry, was shown to advantage by her short, French corset, and the narrow band of black satin that begirt her slim waist.

”I have to offer my apologies to you, dearest,” he said, when the servant had closed the door. ”At the inquest I was bound to openly confess that we had met clandestinely.”

”What apology is needed?” she asked, smiling. ”We love each other, and care nothing for what the world may think.”

”That is true,” he answered, deep in thought. ”But I--I have an announcement to make to you, which I fear must cause you pain.”

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