BERTHAsurrenderedherselfcompletelytotheenjoymentofherlove.Hersanguinetemperamentneverallowedhertodoanythinghalf-heartedly,andshetooknocarenowtoconcealherfeelingslovewasagreatseaintowhichsheboldlyplunged,uncaringwhethershewouldswimorsink.
“Iamsuchafool,”shetoldCraddock,“Ican’trealisethatanyonehaslovedbefore.Ifeelthattheworldisonlynowbeginning.”
Shehatedanyseparationfromhim.Inthemorningsheexistedfornothingbutherlover’svisitatluncheontime,andthewalkbackwithhimtohisfarmthentheafternoonseemedendless,andshecountedthehoursthatmustpassbeforeshesawhimagain.Butwhatblissitwaswhen,afterhisworkwasover,hearrived,andtheysatsidebysidenearthefire,talkingBerthawouldhavenootherlightthanthefitfulflamingofthecoals,sothat,butforthelittlespacewheretheysat,theroomwasdark,andtherednessofthefirethrewonEdward’sfaceaglowandweirdshadows.Shelovedtolookathim,athisclean-cutfeatures,andintohisgreyeyes.Thenherpassionknewnorestraint.
“Shutyoureyes,”shewhispered,andshekissedtheclosedlidsshepassedherlipsslowlyoverhislips,andthesoftcontactmadehershudderandlaugh.Sheburiedherfaceinhisclothes,inhalingthosemasterfulscentsofthecountrysidewhichhadalwaysfascinatedher.
“Whathaveyoubeendoingto-day,mydearest?”
“Oh,there’snothingmuchgoingonthefarmjustnow.We’vejustbeenploughingandroot-carting.”
Itenchantedhertoreceiveinformationonagriculturalsubjects,andshecouldhavelistenedtohimforhours.EverywordthatEdwardspokewascharmingandoriginalBerthanevertookhereyesoffhimshelovedtoseehimspeak,andoftenscarcelylistenedtowhathesaid,merelywatchingtheplayofhisexpression.Itpuzzledhimsometimestocatchhersmileofintensehappiness,whenhewasdiscussingthebush-drainage,forinstance,ofsomefield.However,shereallytookadeepinterestinallhisstock,andneverfailedto