Hopkins
were free from all interruption. It was as yet only the middle of March
and the lion had not altogether disappeared; but still Mary could get
out. She did not care much for the wind; and she roamed about among the
leafless shrubberies, thinking,-- probably not of many things,--meaning
always to think of the past, but unable to keep her mind from the
future, the future which would so soon be the present. How long would
it be before the coming of that stately dame? Was he in quest of her
now? Had he perhaps postponed his demand upon her till fortune had made
him rich? Of course she had no right to be sorry that he had inherited
the property which had been his almost of right; but yet, had it been
otherwise, might she not have had some chance? But, oh, if he had said
a word to her, only a word more than he had spoken already,--a word
that might have sounded like encouragement to others beside herself,
and then have been obliged to draw back because of the duty which he
owed to the property, how much worse would that have been! She did own
to herself that the squire of Bragton should not look for his wife in
the house of a Dillsborough attorney. As she thought of this a tear ran
down her cheek and trickled down on to the wooden rail of the little
bridge.
"There's no one to give you an excuse now, and you must come and
walk round with me," said a voice, close to her ear.
Pages:
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715