The Nonesuch

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell the butler to deny her, but she mastered the impulse. The interview must be faced, since she could not run away from Staples, deserting her post, as she longed to be able to do. She had made up her mind that she must be prepared to meet the Nonesuch, and to conduct herself, when she did so, with calm and dignity.

She entered the Green Saloon to find him standing by the table in the middle of the room, and glancing through the latest issue of the Liverpool Mercury.He looked up as the door opened, and at once laid the paper down, saying with the smile that made her heart tremble: “At last!”

“I beg your pardon! Have you been waiting for long?” she returned, determined to maintain an attitude of friendly civility, and desperately hoping that he would understand from this that it would be useless to make her any sort of declaration.

“More than a sennight! Yes, I know you feel that the delicacy of your position makes it ineligible for you to receive visitors, but I have been very discreet, I promise you! I told the butler that I came to enquire after the travellers—and even went so far as to ask first if Miss Wield was at home.”

“We have had no news yet.”

“You could scarcely have done so, could you? It was the only excuse I could think of.” He paused, the laughter arrested in his eyes as they searched her face. “What is it?” he asked, in quite another tone.

She answered with forced lightness: “Why, nothing!”

“No, don’t fob me off! Tell me!” he insisted. “Something has happened to distress you: has that spoilt child been plaguing you?”

She had known that it would be a dreadful interview, but not that he would rend her in two by so instantly perceiving the trouble in her face, or by speaking to her in that voice of concern. She managed to summon up a laugh, and to say: “Good gracious, no! Indeed, sir,—”

“Then what?”

How could you ask a man if it was true that he had several love-begotten children? It was wholly impossible: not even the boldest female could do it! Besides, it would be useless: she knew the answer, and her knowledge had not come to her from a doubtful, or a spiteful source: Lindeth had said it, not dreaming of mischief, treating it as only a slightly regrettable commonplace. The thought stiffened her resolution; she said, in a stronger voice: “Nothing more serious than a headache. I fancy there’s thunder in the air: it always gives me the headache. Tiffany isn’t feeling quite the thing either. Indeed, I should be with her, not talking to morning-visitors! I hope you may not think it uncivil in me to run away, Sir Waldo, but—”

“I don’t think you uncivil: merely untruthful! Why do you call me a morning-visitor, when you know very well I’ve been awaiting the opportunity to see you privately—and certainly not with the object of uttering social inanities?” He smiled at her. “Are you fearful of offending against the proprieties? You’re not so missish! And even the most strictly guarded girl, you know, is permitted to receive an offer of marriage unchaperoned!”

She put out her hand, in a repelling gesture, averting her head, and saying imploringly: “No, don’t say it! pray don’t!”

“But, my dear—!”

“Sir Waldo, I am very much obliged to you—much honoured—but I can’t accept your—your very flattering offer!” ^!

“Why not?” he asked quietly.

Dismayed, she realized that she ought to have foreseen that he would say something quite unexpected. She had not, and was betrayed into incoherence. “I don’t—I could never—I have no intention of—no thought of marriage!”

He was silent for a moment, a crease between his brows, his eyes, fixed on her profile, a little puzzled. He said at last: “Don’t you think that you might perhaps bring yourself to give marriage a thought? It’s quite easy, you know! Only consider for how many more years than you I never gave it a thought. And then I met you, and loved you, and found that I was thinking of very little else! Forgive me!—I don’t mean to sound presumptuous—but I can’t believe that you are as indifferent to me as you’d have me think!”

She flushed. “I am aware that I—that I gave you reason to suppose that it would not be disagreeable to me to receive this offer. Even that I have encouraged you! I didn’t mean it so. Circumstances have thrown us a good deal together, and—and I found you amusing and conversable, and was led, I am afraid, into—into treating you with a familiarity which you mistook for something warmer than mere liking!”

“You are wrong,” he replied. “So far from encouraging me, or treating me with familiarity, you have been at pains to hold me at arm’s length. But there has been a look in your eyes—I can’t explain, but I couldn’t mistake it, unless I were blind, or a green youth, and I’m neither!”

“I don’t doubt that you have had a great deal of experience, sir, but in this instance I assure you you have been misled.”

“Yes, I have had experience,” he said, looking gravely at her. “Is that what’s in your mind?”