DISCARDED!
"I give thee up--a better fate
My warm devotedness was due,
Yet as I strike thee from my heart
A tear shall seal our last adieu....
An idle word--a careless look,
That love can yet too plainly see,
Has quenched the lambent, holy flame,
And all estranged my heart from thee!"
Lord Chester's pride could scarcely brook Ethel's insolent arraignment
for what she chose to term his failure in duty. Impatience was one of
his faults, and he could scarcely restrain his indignation. His dark
gray eyes flashed with temper until they looked as black and brilliant
as Ethel's own, and a deep red spot rose to his cheek.
His heart leaped with the impulse to take the haughty beauty at her
word, to be free of the fetters he had forged for honor's sake.
"Free!" Oh, what a sweet sound the word had in his ears! Surely Ethel
did not dream how sorely she was tempting him with her resentful
sneers. Free! Why, then, he might woo dainty Precious with her sweet
blue eyes and gentle heart. Oh, what a heaven of happiness opened
before him at the thought!
But he bit his lips and held his peace.
His own inner anxiety to take Ethel at her word only made him feel more
deeply his lack of love for his betrothed.
"And she loves me, despite her anger. It would not be honorable to take
her at her rash offer," he decided with that keen sense of _noblesse
oblige_ inherent in noble natures. Ethel regarded his silence in angry
wonder. She chose to consider it an affront, and said coldly:
"I offered you your freedom. Am I not worthy an answer?"
Holding his temper sternly in check Lord Chester answered gravely:
"Ethel, do you understand what you are saying? You are dismissing me on
such slight cause that when your anger cools you will be surprised at
yourself--surprised, and--perhaps a little sorry," and he looked full
into her eyes.
"Sorry!" she cried scornfully, and tossed her head.
He answered quietly:
"Yes, sorry; for you love me a little, I think, do you not? Surely it
was not all for gold and rank that you accepted me."
She knew that it was not, that she had given him all her fiery heart,
but her pride was in arms. That tender appeal to her love sounded like
a taunt.
The hot blood rushed to her cheeks, and her great eyes flashed with
almost insane anger. She cried contemptuously:
"I fancied I loved you once, but a nature like mine cannot bear neglect
and harshness. Your words to me just now were ill-chosen, and I cannot
forgive them. From this moment I hate you. Take back your freedom and
your ring," and she pressed the costly jewel into his reluctant hand.
"So I am jilted," laughed the young man harshly.
Not another word was spoken, for the carriage was rolling up the
driveway, to the house. They saw Precious on the long piazza waiting.
At sight of that beautiful young figure Ethel frowned heavily, and a
qualm of pain shook her proud heart.
"What if he turns to her? But he shall not!" she thought bitterly.
She just touched his hand in springing from the carriage, then found
Precious clinging about her neck.
"Oh, I'm so glad to see you, darling!" she cooed, but Ethel soon shook
her off.
"Don't you see I'm tired to death? Let me go in and rest. Norah,
how are you? By the way, send the housekeeper to me. We are to have
guests--Lord Chester, Mr. Conway, and his daughter. Are the guest rooms
ready?"
Lord Chester stepped forward, and said in a low voice:
"It will not be convenient for me to remain at Rosemont, Miss Winans. I
shall go to the village hotel until my friend Earle is better, then I
am going away."
He saw the beautiful dark face turn ashy pale at his words, but she did
not answer, and with a low bow that included all he walked away.
Ethel's lips half opened as if to call him back, then they closed
again, and Precious cried in dismay:
"Oh, what have you done to Lord Chester? He is offended."
"I have broken my engagement," answered her proud sister coldly.
"Oh, you cruel girl!" cried Precious indignantly, but Ethel gave her a
scathing glance.
"It is no quarrel of yours," she said icily, then to Norah: "My mother
wishes you and Precious to come to her in the carriage for a short time
at Mr. Conway's. Come, Hetty, I will go to my room," and she swept away
like a queen.
Hetty lingered just long enough to whisper to Norah, "She's been in a
tantrum all day," and followed her mistress.
"Come, Norah, let us get in the carriage and go at once to mamma,"
cried Precious eagerly, and as the carriage rolled along the village
street they passed Lord Chester striding along very fast toward the
hotel. He lifted his hat to Precious with a glance that made her pulses
beat faster, remembering yesterday and last night.
A quick thought pulsed through her throbbing heart:
"Ethel has broken her engagement. She no longer loves him. He is
free--free--to--love--me."
She did not say to herself that it was not wrong now for her to think
of him. Love was a shy newcomer in her heart, too timid yet to own his
presence there.
The carriage rolled past and left him, then the young girl's thoughts
turned back to Earle, and the quick tears sprang to her eyes. When
they stopped at the cottage gate she was sobbing convulsively, against
Norah's shoulder.
Aunt Prue came out to meet them with a very sober face, and led them
upstairs to Ladybird's room. Mrs. Winans rose with a cry of joy, and
clasped her darling in her arms.
Ladybird, who sat at the window looking very pale and pretty in a blue
morning gown, turned aside with a repressed sob. Oh, how she envied
Precious her sweet and loving mother, for her own young mother had
died when her little one was born, and her child had never known the
sweetness of maternal love.
Perhaps Mrs. Winans thought of this, too, for when she had kissed and
cried over Precious a little she led her forward to the window, saying
tenderly:
"I have found in Ladybird the daughter of the dearest girl friend I
ever had, and we must both love her, Precious, for her mother's sake."
"I love her already for her own," cried Precious, kissing Ladybird's
white cheek fondly, and a sob rose in the little coquette's throat
as she wondered if they would love her still if they ever found out
how she had treated Earle, whom they loved so dearly. Alas, she loved
him too--she realized it more fully now that he lay wounded, perhaps
dying--and how she hated Jack Tennant, the man who held the promise of
her hand. Why, she would die before she would marry such a wretch!