“How dare you say such things to me!” I said. “I would not stoop
to coax you--I will not again ask you for any boon! I only wanted
you to do me the justice of realizing you had made a mistake in my
character--to do your brother the justice of conceding the point that
he has some right to love whom he chooses. But keep your low thoughts
to yourself! Evil, cruel man! Robert and I have got something that is
better than all your lands and money--a dear, great love, and I am
glad; glad that he will not in the future receive anything that is in
your gift. I shall give him the gift of myself, and we shall do very
well without you,” and I walked to the door, leaving him huddled in
the chair.
Thus ended our talk on justice!
Never has my head been so up in the air. I am sure had Cleopatra been
dragged to Rome in Augustus’s triumph she would not have walked with
more pride and contempt than I through the hall of Vavasour House.
The old servant was waiting for me, and Véronique, and the brougham.
“Call a hansom, if you please,” I said, and stood there like a statue
while one of the footmen had to run into St. James’s Street for it.
Then we drove away, and I felt my teeth chatter, while my cheeks burnt.
Oh! what an end to my scheme, and my dreams of perhaps success!
But what a beast of a man! What a cruel, warped, miserable creature. I
will not let him separate me from Robert, never, never! He is not worth
it. I will wait for him--my darling--and, if he really loves me, some
day we can be happy, and if he does not--but oh! I need not fear.
I am still shaking with passion, and shall go to bed. I do not want any
dinner.
* * * * *
_Tuesday morning, Nov. 29th._
VÉRONIQUE would not let me go to bed, she insisted upon my eating, and
then after dinner I sat in an old, but lovely wrap of white crêpe,
and she brushed out my hair for more than an hour--there is such a
tremendous lot of it, it takes time.
I sat in front of the sitting-room fire, and tried not to think. One
does feel a wreck after a scene like that. At about half past nine I
heard noises in the passage of people, and with only a preliminary
tap Robert and Lady Merrenden came into the room. I started up, and
Véronique dropped the brush, in her astonishment, and then left us
alone.
Both their eyes were shining, and excited, and Robert looked crazy with
joy; he seized me in his arms and kissed me, and kissed me, while Lady
Merrenden said, “You darling, Evangeline, you plucky, clever girl,
tell us all about it!”
“About what!” I said, as soon as I could speak.
“How you managed it.”
“Oh, I must kiss her first, Aunt Sophia!” said Robert. “Did you ever
see anything so divinely lovely as she looks with her hair all floating
like this--and it is all mine--every bit of it!!!”
“Yes, it is,” I said sadly. “And that is about all of value you will
get!”
“Come and sit down,” said Robert, “Evangeline, you darling--and look at
this!”
Upon which he drew from his pocket a note. I saw at once it was the
Duke’s writing, and I shivered with excitement. He held it before my
eyes.
“DEAR ROBERT,” it began, “I have seen her. I am conquered. She will
make a magnificent Duchess. Bring her to lunch to-morrow. Yours,
TORQUILSTONE.”