Her father had died upon the voyage and been
buried in the sea, leaving her with no friend save a Mr. Hudson,
whose acquaintance they had made in Paris."
At the mention of Mr. Hudson the toy dropped from Nina's fingers
and the blue eyes flashed up into Edith's face with a more
rational expression than she had heretofore observed in them.
"What is it, darling?" she asked, as she saw there was something
Nina would say.
The lip quivered like that of a grieved child, while Nina answered
softly, "I did love Charlie better than Arthur, and it was so
wicked."
"Yes," rejoined Arthur quickly, "Nina's love for me had died away,
and centered itself upon another. Charlie Hudson had sought her
for his wife, and while confessing her love for him she insisted
that she could not be his, because she was bound to me. This,
however, did not prevent his seeking an interview with her father,
who told him frankly the terrible impediment to Nina's marriage
with any one. It was a crushing blow to young Hudson, but he still
clung to her with all a brother's devotion, soothing her grief
upon the sea, and caring for her tenderly until Boston was
reached, and he placed her in my hands, together with a letter,
which her father wrote a few days before he died.
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