Set in Silver
near where Ellaline was in Scotland--went there straight from
Bamborough, and put the girl up to believe you'd been playing her
false--prejudicing me against her interests, trying to keep for yourself
things that ought to be hers; so apparently she worked herself into a
hysterical state--must have, or she wouldn't have believed him against
you; and the instant she was married to her Frenchman, who'd come to
claim her, all three dashed off here to 'confront' you, as that cad
Burden explained to me. I couldn't understand what they were all driving
at just at first, but I saw that the girl was the living image of her
mother, consequently the thing didn't need as much explaining in any way
as it might otherwise."
"She was horribly afraid you wouldn't let her marry him," I broke in,
getting breath and voice back at last.
"So she said. Oh, when she knew Burden had lied to her about you, she
repented her disloyalty, and told me how you hated the whole thing. I
don't wonder she thought me a brute, never writing, never seeming to
care whether she was alive or dead; I see now I was a brute; but it's
you who've shown me that, not she. However, she will reap the benefit. I
daresay three months ago I should have growled over such a marriage,
felt inclined to wash my hands of the girl, perhaps, but now--now I'm
delighted to have her married and--_off_ my hands. That sounds callous,
but I can't help it. It's true. The Frenchman seems a gentleman, and
fond of her--trust Ellaline de Nesville's daughter to make men fall in
love!--and I wish them both joy."
"But--but if he's poor?" I dared to question.
"Oh, that'll be all right. I'm so thankful for the way everything has
turned out, I'd give her half my fortune. That would be asinine, of
course; but I shall settle a thousand a year on her for life, and give
her a wedding present of a cheque for twenty thousand, I think. Should
you say that would be enough to satisfy them?"
"They ought to be distracted with joy," I said (though deep in my heart
I knew that Ellaline is never likely to be satisfied with anything done
for her. She always feels it might have been a little more). "But," I
went on, "maybe it's selfish to think of myself now--but I can't help it
for a moment. I have been so ashamed--so humiliated, I could hardly
bear--and yet I know you won't, you can't, see that there's any
excuse----"
"Didn't I tell you that I thought you very brave?" he asked, looking at
me more kindly than I deserved.
"Yes. And I was brave." I took credit to myself. "But brave people can
be wicked. I have hated myself, knowing how you'd hate me when----"
"I don't hate you," he said. "The question is--do you hate me?"
I gasped--because I was so far from hating him; and suddenly I was
afraid he might suspect exactly _how_ far. "No," said I. "But then, that
is different. I never had any reason to hate you."
"Didn't Ellaline warn you I was a regular dragon?"
I couldn't help laughing, because that had been our very name for him.
"Oh, well, she----" I began to apologize.
"You needn't be afraid to confess," said he. "In the exuberance of her
relief at finding all well, and not only being forgiven, but petted, she
told me what a different man I was from the murderous image in her mind;
and that she saw now you were right about me. Is it possible you
defended me to her?"
"But of course," I said.
"In spite of all the injustice I did you--and showed that I did you?"
"I always felt myself to blame, and yet--yet it hurt me when I saw you
disapproved of me. Since Chester----"
"It was that ring stuck in my throat," said he.
"You knew?" I stammered, turning red.
"Saw it in a shop window. And now I know why you did it--why you did
everything, I think. Heavens, what good it would have done me to kick
that little beast Burden all around the park!"
"There wouldn't have been anything left of him, if you had," I giggled,
beginning to feel hysterical. "Oh, I am glad he's gone, though. I shall
be going myself to-morrow, of course, but----"
"No," he said. "No, that must not be. I--Ellaline wants you."
"Hadn't I better see her now?" I asked meekly.
"Not yet. Tell me--did that cad try you too far at Bamborough, and did
you defy him?"
I nodded Yes.
"What did he do?"
"He didn't do anything. He wanted me to promise something."
"To marry him at once?" Sir Lionel was looking dangerous.
"No-o. It wasn't anything about me. I can't tell you, because it
concerns someone else. Please don't ask me."
"I won't. If it concerns someone else, not yourself, I don't care. Yes,
I do, though. Did it concern me? Can you answer me that?"
"I can answer so far, if you don't press me further. It did concern you.
I would not sacrifice you to--but I don't want to go on, please!"
"You shan't. That's enough. You sacrificed yourself rather than
sacrifice me. You----"
"I'd sinned enough against you."
"You gave me back my youth."
"I?"
"Don't you know I love you--worship you--adore you?"
Yes, _he said that_, mother. His lips said it, and his dear, dear eyes.
I looked up to them, and mine overflowed, and he needed no other answer,
for he took me in his arms. I didn't know people could be so happy. I
could have died in that moment, only I would much, much rather live.
In a few minutes we told each other heaps of things about the way we
felt, and the way we _had_ felt, and compared notes; and it was
heavenly. He'd bought back the darling ring in Chester, and now he put
it on my finger again; and I'm sure, dearest, that you won't mind our
being engaged?
He says he has adored me ever since the first day, and will to the last,
then on into the next world, because there can't be a next world that
won't be full of his love for me. And I adore him, ah, _how_ I adore
him--and you will come here to live with us in this beautiful old
castle, where, like the Prince and Princess of the fairy stories, we
will be happy ever after.
I have seen Ellaline, and she is well and hugged me a great deal. Her
Honore is really very handsome; but I can't write about them now, though
they have been so important in my life; and without them there would
have been no life worth speaking of.
Emily and Lionel (I am to call him that now) will take me to you, and
everything shall be arranged as you wish.
Dear little, wise mother, I wonder if you ever thought it might end like
this? I didn't. But he is the most glorious man who ever happened. Only,
he didn't happen. All the rest of the world--not counting you--happened.
He just had to be.
Your loving, perfectly happy
Audrie.