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He blushed again. “No—nor yet perhaps that you whistle! I don’t believe the wind does either, here. It only whispers—and it sighs––”
“And I hope,” she broke in, “that it sometimes laughs!”
The sound she gave only made him, as he looked at her, more serious. “Whatever it does, it’s all right.”
“All right?” She laid her hand straight on his arm. “Then you promise?”
“Promise what?”
He had turned as pale as if she hurt him, and she took her hand away. “To meet Mr. Prodmore.”
“Oh, dear, no; not yet! I must wait—I must think.”
She looked disappointed. “When have you to answer him?”
“Oh, he gives me time!”
“I wouldn’t give you time,” Mrs. Gracedew cried with force. “I’d give you a shaking! For God’s sake, at any rate—go upstairs!”
“And literally find the dreadful man?” This was so little his personal idea that, distinctly dodging her pressure, he had already reached the safe quarter.
But it befell that at the same moment she saw Cora reappear on the upper landing—a circumstance that promised her a still better conclusion. “He’s coming down!”
Cora, in spite of this announcement, came down boldly enough without him and made directly for Mrs. Gracedew. Her plain purpose of treating this lady as an isolated presence allowed their companion perfect freedom to consider her arrival with sharp alarm. He stared, gave a wild glance at the open door, then searched the staircase. “I’ll go up!” he gasped; and he took three steps at a time.
V
The girl threw herself, in her flushed eagerness, straight upon the wonderful lady. “I’ve come back to you—I want to speak to you! May I confide in you?”
Her instant overflow left Mrs. Gracedew both astonished and amused. “You too? Why it is good we come over!”
“It is, indeed! You were so very kind to me and seemed to think me so curious.”
The mirth of her friend redoubled. “Well, I loved you for it, and it was nothing moreover to what you thought me!”
Miss Prodmore found no denial—she only presented her frank high colour. “I loved you. But I’m the worst! And I’m solitary.”
“Ah, so am I!” Mrs. Gracedew declared. “A very queer thing always is solitary! But, since we have that link, by all means confide.”
“Well, I was met here by tremendous news.” Cora produced it with a purple glow. “He wants me to marry him!”
Mrs. Gracedew looked amiably receptive, but as if she failed as yet to follow. “‘He’ wants you?”
“Papa, of course. He has settled it!”
“Settled what?”
“Why, the whole question. That I must take him.”
Mrs. Gracedew seemed to frown at her own scattered wits. “But, my dear, take whom?”
The girl looked surprised at this lapse of her powers. “Why, Captain Yule, who just went up.”
“Oh!” said Mrs. Gracedew with a full stare. “Oh!” she repeated, looking straight away.
“I thought you would know,” Cora gently explained.
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