"I did not intend to do it. I could not help it. She was so--so nice
about everything. That girl is an angel. I told her so."
"Very right and proper spirit to approach her in," answered the old
woman, watching him keenly. "Was she angel enough to say she would marry
you?"
Tommy, for some occult reason, had the courage to stare back into his
grandmother's eyes, quite as if he were a man, and not a hobbledehoy,
expecting to be bullied.
"She does not want me," he answered. "And I knew she wouldn't. Why
should she? I did what you ordered me to do, and she answered me as I
knew she would. She might have snubbed me, but she has such a way with
her--such a way of saying things and understanding, that--that--well, I
found myself on one knee, kissing her hand--as if I was being presented
at court."
Old Lady Alanby looked out on the passing landscape.
"Well, you did your best," she summed the matter up at last, "if you
went down on your knees involuntarily. If you had done it on purpose, it
would have been unpardonable."
CHAPTER XXXIV
RED GODWYN
Stornham Court had taken its proper position in the county as a place
which was equal to social exchange in the matter of entertainment.
Pages:
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639