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"My brother is very ill; he may not recover. Oh, what a fatal day it was when he first saw you, Miss Arleigh!" Now, Marion had often rehearsed this interview. She had pictured herself as taking the part of a very dignified queen; of saying to this interesting subject who was dying for love of her, "Stay."
Adelaide Lyster could play upon her feelings and emotions skilfully as she played upon the chords of a piano. "I was saying to Allan yesterday how sorry I am that he ever came to Miss Carleton's. What do you think he said?" "I cannot tell," replied Miss Arleigh, her beautiful young face flushing as she spoke.
"I have been told," she said, "that there are some beautiful white hyacinths here; they are my favorite flowers. Shall we find them?" He was only too pleased. She bade a laughing adieu to the duchess, and smiled at Lord Arleigh. There was no trace of pain or of sadness in her voice or face. They went away together and Lord Arleigh never even dreamed that she had heard his remark.
"Follow me," said the earl; and in silence Lord Arleigh obeyed him. They came to the pretty shaded room, and the earl, entering first, said: "Now, my darling, the hour has come which will repay you for the sorrow of years." Wondering at such words, Lord Arleigh followed his friend.
"I am like yourself, Norman," she said; "I do not care for the play at all; we will go home," and they left the house before the Grand Duchess had played her part. Philippa L'Estrange thought long and earnestly over her last conversation with Lord Arleigh.
"I wonder, now, if Cotton at the lodge has heard anything of the poachers again this year, round Arleigh way?" "Not that I know of," said Ruth, surprised at the simplicity of the question. "Dear sakes! and to think of 'em at Vandon last night, and Mr. Dare and the keepers out all night after 'em." Ruth was interested in spite of herself.
She will tell you all about it." "Why not tell me yourself?" she asked. "She has better powers of persuasion," he replied, laughingly. "Then I am afraid, if so much persuasion is required, that something wrong is on the tapis," said Lady Peters. "I cannot imagine why men who have beautiful young wives go yachting. It seems to me a terrible mistake." Lord Arleigh laughed.
Her mind, though charming and fascinating as ever, grew variable and unsteady. She had always been too proud for coquetry; she remained so now. But she no longer shunned and avoided all flattery and homage; it seemed rather to please her than not. And greatest change of all the name of Lord Arleigh never crossed her lips.
Lord Arleigh clasped his wife in his arms, and then he placed her at some little distance from himself, where the silvery moonlight fell on the fair, lovely profile, on the golden head, on the superb dress of rich white silk and on the gleaming diamonds. "My darling," he said, "you are thousand times lovelier than even Titian's beauty here! Do you remember all we suffered in this spot?
And as Ruth walked among the quiet fields, and up the yellow aisles of the autumn glades to Arleigh, Nature spoke of peace to her not of joy or of happiness as in old days, for she never lies as human comforters do, and these had gone out of her life; but of the peace that duty steadfastly adhered to will bring at last the peace that after much turmoil will come in the end to those who, amid a Babel of louder tongues, hear and obey the low-pitched voices of conscience and of principle.
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