SAFE IN THE ARMS OF LOVE.
Love, sacred love, how sweet thy will--
How perfect thy entrancing bliss--
What purer joy our hearts could thrill--
What rapture soothe our souls like this?
In a common cause of suffering or rejoicing, social distinction is
frequently forgotten,--thus, over Stella's safe return friends,
relatives and servants vied with one another in expressions of joy and
gratitude, and even touched each other's hands in an outburst of
heartfelt congratulation.
To Mrs. Sinclair, Stella related every detail of her most astonishing
experience, and the tears she shed over Julia Webber's awful death were
the proofs of genuine love and tender remembrance.
It is true that Julia Webber had insisted upon her imprisonment for
eight long months, but from what had she not saved her!
Of Maurice's whereabouts she knew as little as did Mrs. Sinclair, and
after the first recital his name was never mentioned between them. To
her faithful friend, Sir Frederic Atherton, Mrs. Sinclair repeated
Stella's story, but between the two no mention of the matter was ever
made.
In her perfect innocence, it never occurred to Stella that her
imprisonment in Julia Webber's house was anything more than unfortunate
and humiliating, and if any more disagreeable thought entered Sir
Frederic's mind it was promptly banished as an unworthy suggestion of a
worldly education.
During the weeks of convalescence through which Stella passed after the
shock of that evening's disaster, Mrs. Sinclair scarcely left her side.
The two were inseparable, and during the long winter evenings they would
sit before the blazing, open fire, which was always to be found in Mrs.
Sinclair's cosy sitting-room on chilly nights, Mrs. Sinclair in the
comfortable rocker with Stella's golden head pillowed lovingly upon her
knee, while the young girl sat in graceful comfort on the heavy
hearth-rug, or a convenient ottoman.
The sorrowful days had left their traces on Mrs. Sinclair's raven locks,
and in the shadows about her eyes, but an expression of supreme
thankfulness shone on her face as her eyes rested lovingly on Stella's
wavy hair. Only now and then when silence fell upon the air, the sweet
mouth curved in lines of sadness, and her motherly eyes seemed trying to
pierce the clouds of uncertainty and apprehension that closed around her
at every unfamiliar step or voice.
It was as if she looked and listened for a nameless something while she
dreaded its coming with a mighty dread. Even now, when a card was handed
her by the servant, her hand shook perceptibly as she took it from the
salver. A look reassured her, and smiling into Stella's upturned face,
she said, "It is Sir Frederic, love, shall we have him right up here?"
"Certainly, mamma if you wish," was the simple response, but in some way
the face that a moment before was demure and white as the lily, is now
flushed and brimming with joy like the heart of an opening rose.
Rising, she had only time to seat herself decorously on the comfortable
sofa when Sir Frederic entered.
"Ah, Sir Frederic, I am more than glad to see you this evening," said
Mrs. Sinclair, as she gave him her hand in greeting.
"And I," responded he, "have been counting the moments since dinner in
my eagerness to come and yet not presume upon your hospitality by the
earliness of my appearance."
Then turning, he continued with a sudden rush of tenderness in his
tones, "and you, Miss Stella, are glad to see me?" He was so absorbed in
the contemplation of her face and his eagerness to hear her answer, that
Mrs. Sinclair's somewhat unceremonious exit from the room was unnoticed.
Stella smiled, and giving him her hand, said softly, "I am very glad,
Sir Frederic, it is always a pleasure to see you, but to-night,"--here
her eyes filled with tears, "is the anniversary of all our trouble, and
you have been our best and dearest friend, mamma's and mine. I don't
know what we should have done without you," here her voice grew fainter
as she continued, brokenly, "I don't know what I,"--
She could not go on, and Sir Frederic, placing his arm tenderly about
her, pillowed her head upon his breast while he whispered gently, "You
shall never do without me again, little one, for indeed I cannot live
longer without you. I may not tell my love prettily, Stella, for I am
little versed in that pleasing art, but if a life of untiring devotion
can speak my love, I will gladly give you that. Look up dear heart, and
tell me that you will give yourself to me forever."
But Stella did not look up. Instead, she nestled her head deeper in his
arms, but as his lips touched her shining hair, he murmured with a
satisfied and radiant smile, "my darling, my wife."
To a man of forty who has lived his life unsinged by passion's blaze,
and unblinded by young love's delusion, the blessing of a woman's love
brings peace and happiness, almost too great for human understanding.
All the currents of his soul go out to her, and the restless rivers of
his mighty nature find peace at last in the unfathomable ocean of her
love.
Thus it was during the first sweet hour of their betrothal. In Sir
Frederic's heart the calm of a great joy followed like a summer cloud
upon the path of a sorrowful tempest.
Not so with Stella, however, for with the first great rush of joy on
knowing that she was so beloved, her very identity, past, present and
future, seemed lost in his. A glorious panorama of heavenly sights and
entrancing music burst upon her vision.
Self was lost in the whirlpool of future joys and duties, and the only
object that stood clear before her eyes was the form of her heart's
beloved, and to him she clung with all the fond abandon of her simple
trusting nature.
Body and soul she gave herself to her lover, as woman can only give
herself once in the period of her existence, and in deeply reverential
spirit, Sir Frederic received the precious gift and cherished it
forever.
It was Mrs. Sinclair's voice at the door that at last recalled the
lovers to a vague consideration of things earthly.
The eyes of an indifferent observer could hardly have misunderstood the
situation, and Mrs. Sinclair only glanced into Stella's face and in
another second her darling was in her arms and both were laughing and
crying in true woman fashion.