FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>  
s opened? Edith's own love was too sweet and sacred a thing to allow her to pry and question into the heart-secrets of another, as is the objectionable fashion of many so-called friends, but with her keen woman-senses she took in George Elgood's every word, look, and movement during the brief parting scene. He stood aside, leaving his brother to utter the conventional farewells; his lips were set, and his brows drawn together; but ever and anon, as if against his will, his eyes shot anxious glances towards the window of the room where Margot lay. Edith moved a few steps nearer, to give the chance of a few quiet words, if it was in his heart to speak, but none came. A moment later he had swung himself up beside his brother on the high seat of the cart, and the wheels were beginning to move. Edith went slowly back to her post, dreading to meet the gaze of those dear brown eyes, which had lost their sparkle, and become so pathetic in their dumb questioning. She had no reassuring message to give, and could only affect a confidence which she was far from feeling. "Well, dear, they are off, but it is not good-bye--only _au revoir_, as you are sure to meet again in town before long. Mr Elgood asked permission to call upon me in town. Nice little man! He has been so wonderfully kind and considerate. I can't think why he should trouble himself so much for a complete stranger. The tall one looked sorry to go! He kept looking up at your window. He has a fine face--strong and clever. He must be an interesting companion." Margot did not answer; but five minutes later she asked to have the curtain drawn, as the light hurt her eyes. They had a somewhat red and inflamed appearance for the rest of the day; but when Mr Vane commented on the fact, the dear, wise Edie assured him that it was a common phenomenon after illness, and laid a supply of fresh handkerchiefs on the bed--table in such a quiet and unobtrusive fashion, that they might have grown there of their own accord. "Some day," thought Margot dismally to herself, "some day I shall laugh over this!" For the present, however, her sense of humour was strangely blunted, and the handkerchiefs were needed for a very different purpose. CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. A PROUD MOMENT. Margot's recovery was somewhat tedious, so that it was quite three weeks after the departure of the brothers Elgood before she was strong enough to face the journey home. In the mean
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>  



Top keywords:
Margot
 

Elgood

 

strong

 

brother

 

window

 
handkerchiefs
 
fashion
 

trouble

 
curtain
 

appearance


inflamed

 

considerate

 
complete
 

looked

 
clever
 

interesting

 
stranger
 
minutes
 

answer

 

companion


phenomenon

 

needed

 

purpose

 

TWENTY

 

CHAPTER

 

blunted

 

strangely

 

present

 

humour

 

brothers


journey

 
departure
 

recovery

 

MOMENT

 

tedious

 
wonderfully
 

common

 
illness
 

supply

 
assured

commented
 

dismally

 
thought
 
accord
 

unobtrusive

 

farewells

 
conventional
 

parting

 
leaving
 

nearer