h.”
“Ohyes,Iloveyouwithallmyheart.IneverimagineditpossibletoloveapersonasIloveyou.Oh,Eddie,youdon’tknowhowhappyyouhavemademe.”
Hekissedheragain,andagainsheflungherarmsaroundhisneck.
“Oughtn’tyoutobegoingin,”hesaidatlast“whatwillMissLeythink?”
“Ohno—notyet,”shecried.
“Howwillyoutellher?D’youthinkshe’lllikeme?She’lltryandmakeyougivemeup.”
“Oh,I’msureshe’llloveyoubesides,whatdoesitmatterifshedoesn’t?—sheisn’tgoingtomarryyou.”
“Shecantakeyouabroadagainandthenyoumayseesomeoneyoulikebetter.”
“ButI’mtwenty-oneto-morrow,Edward—didn’tyouknow?AndIshallbemyownmistress.Ishan’tleaveBlackstabletillI’myourwife.”
Theywerewalkingslowlytowardsthehouse,whitherhe,inhisanxietylestsheshouldstayouttoolong,hadguidedhersteps.Theywentarminarm,andBerthaenjoyedherhappiness.
“Dr.Ramsayiscomingtoluncheonto-morrow,”shesaid,“andIshalltellthemboththatI’mgoingtobemarriedtoyou.”
“Hewon’tlikeit,”saidCraddock,rathernervously.
“I’msureIdon’tcare.IfyoulikeitandIlikeit,therestcanthinkastheychoose.”
“Ileaveeverythinginyourhands,”hesaid.
Theyhadarrivedattheportico,andBerthalookedatitdoubtfully.
“IsupposeIoughttogoin,”shesaid,wishingEdwardtopersuadehertotakeonemoreturnroundthegarden.
“Yes,do,”hesaid.“I’msoafraidyou’llcatchcold.”
Itwascharmingofhimtobesosolicitousaboutherhealth,andofcoursehewasright.EverythinghedidandsaidwasrightforthemomentBerthaforgotherwaywardnature,andwishedsuddenlytosubjectherselftohisstrongguidance.Hisverystrengthmadeherfeelcuriouslyweak.
“Good-night,mybeloved,”shewhispered,passionately.
Shecouldnottearherselfawayfromhimitwasuttermadness.Theirkissesneverended.
“Good-night!”
Shewatchedhimatlastdisappearintothedarkness,andfinallyshutthedoorbehindher.