"I trust," she said, not unkindly, but with a sort of majestic
displeasure, "that you do not mention these facts to me in what you
consider the order of their importance."
The young girl was chilled. She moved away to one of the spindle-legged
chairs near a window, and played absently with the knotted fringes of
the old-fashioned dimity curtain. "I mention them in the order of
their occurrence," she said gently. "Dear Mrs. Macleod could scarcely
close her eyes on earth until they rested upon her son. He brought me
over in his boat this morning, and is waiting below to see you. Do you
feel able to go down?"
"I hope I shall always be able to respond to social requirements, and
the son of my old friend must not be slighted. Were you about to
suggest that I receive him in my bedchamber?"
Helene, who had risen with charming alertness at the first intimation
of her mother's intentions, now confronted that frigid dame with the
subdued radiance of her glance. "Ah, dear mother!" she murmured
deprecatingly. Daughterly submissiveness, tender consideration for an
invalid's querulous moods, gentle insistence upon her own right to be
happy in spite of them, were all radiated from the softly spoken
words.
Pages:
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64