Mrs. Leslie smoothed the girl's rippling golden curls tenderly.
"And the name?" she said. "Shall you not take Mr. Stuart's advice about
that? It will be far--far better."
Irene was silent, warm blushes drifting over her fair, young face.
"Think," said the gentle lady, "there must surely be some name to which
you have a legal right. Is there not, my dear?"
Deeper and warmer grew the blush on the fair, girlish face.
She had suddenly remembered Guy Kenmore, and the ceremony which Mr.
Clavering had declared to be binding upon them.
"My name is Mrs. Kenmore," she said to herself, with a strange feeling
trembling at her heart as she recalled the handsome man to whom she was
bound.
Then a flash of pride usurped the thrill of almost unconscious
tenderness.
"He did not wish for me to be his wife," she said to herself. "I
remember he regarded me simply as a spoiled child. I shall not claim his
name, shall never trouble him more. He shall think me dead."
She looked up gravely at her kind friend.
"Mrs. Leslie," she said, "there is no name from out my past that I wish
to claim. I have severed myself violently from all that once bound me. I
have done no wrong, I have sinned no sin, but I have been terribly
wronged and sinned against. It is true I have borne a name in the world
where I used to move, but when I found it was not mine I flung it away.
I will not be called by it, I will have nothing to remind me of the
past. Now tell me what I shall do."
Mrs. Leslie was silent a few moments. She wondered who had been so cruel
as to wrong this beautiful girl, whose words, whose looks, whose every
action was so pure and high-toned.
After a moment's reflection she said:
"My maiden name was Berlin; will you bear that, Irene?"
"You would give your own name to me, an utter stranger?" Irene cried, in
grateful surprise.
"Yes, because, as I said just now, I have fallen in love with you.
Whatever may be the sad secret of your past I can look into your eyes
and see that you are pure and good. The name of Berlin is an old and
honorable one, but I do not believe you would disgrace it in the
bearing," said the sweet lady, heartily.
"Then I accept the loan of it with sincerest gratitude," replied Irene,
through springing tears.
"Then you shall be called Irene Berlin," said Mrs. Leslie. "It is a
pretty name, and will suit you. And now we will discuss other affairs. I
am going to Italy with the Stuarts. Shall you be willing to go with me?"
"Nothing could please me better than to leave my native land behind me,"
replied the girl.
"That is settled, then. And now do you feel well enough to go on deck
with me? It is a lovely day. The sun is shining softly and brightly. The
sea is almost as calm and blue as the sky. The fresh air will do you a
world of good."
"I have nothing to wear," said Irene, flushing deeply.
"That is true," laughed Mrs. Leslie. "The party dress in which you came
among us is not exactly a yacht costume. But I can remedy that defect, I
think, from my own wardrobe. Fortunately we are about the same size."
She brought out from her trunk a dark blue velvet suit and a cap of the
same with a jaunty bird's wing on one side. Nothing could have become
Irene better. The suit fitted to a charm, and when Mrs. Leslie set the
jaunty cap on the streaming curls she exclaimed in wonder at the
dazzling loveliness of her _protege_.
"It is no wonder Mrs. Stuart was jealous of you, you are the loveliest
creature I ever saw," she exclaimed frankly.
"If I were not so unhappy you would make me vain, Mrs. Leslie," sighed
the lovely girl.
"You are too young to be unhappy, my dear. I hope you will soon forget
your sorrows. But come, let us go on deck and I will introduce you to
your _Compagnons du Voyage_."
They went out and Irene's eyes were dazzled with the beauty of the day.
The sky was deeply blue, with little white clouds sailing over it. The
sun shone on the blue waves, and white-winged sea-gulls darted here and
there. Several ladies and gentlemen were on deck, walking and chatting.
They started in surprise--the women envious--the men admiring--at the
new comer. She looked like a young princess. Her step was light and
proud, her bearing calm and self-possessed. The sun shone on her golden
curls, her fair face and her velvet blue eyes, making her look like a
perfect picture. Several gentlemen came around Mrs. Leslie, waiting
eagerly for an introduction.