remained looking into each other's eyes without a word. Then Mr.Rushbrook entered his room, lay down, and went to sleep, and Jamesvanished in the shadow.
At the end of an hour Mr. Rushbrook awoke refreshed, and even James, whocame to call him, appeared to have brightened in the interval. "I haveordered a fire, sir, in the reserved room, the one fitted up from LosOsos, as your study has had no chance of being cleaned these two weeks.It will be a change for you, sir. I hope you'll excuse my not waking youto consult you about it."
Rushbrook remained so silent that James, fancying he had not heard him,was about to repeat himself when his master said quickly, "Very well,come for me there when dinner is ready," and entered the passage leadingto the room. James did not follow him, and when Mr. Rushbrook, openingthe door, started back with an exclamation, no one but the inmate heardthe word that rose to his lips.
For there, seated before the glow of the blazing fire, was Miss GraceNevil. She had evidently just arrived, for her mantle was barelyloosened around her neck, and upon the fringe of brown hair between herbonnet and her broad, low forehead a few drops of rain still sparkled.As she lifted her long lashes quickly towards the door, it seemed asif they, too, had caught a little of that moisture. Rushbrook movedimpatiently forward, and then stopped. Grace rose unhesitatingly to herfeet, and met him half-way with frankly outstretched hands. "First ofall," she said, with a half nervous laugh, "don't scold James; it's allmy fault; I forbade him to announce me, lest you should drive me away,for I heard that during this excitement you came here for rest, and sawno one. Even the intrusion into this room is all my own. I confess nowthat I saw it the last night I was here; I was anxious to know if it wasunchanged, and made James bring me here. I did not understand it then. Ido now--and--thank you."
Her face must have shown that she was conscious that he was stillholding her hand, for he suddenly released it. With a heightened colorand a half girlish naivete, that was the more charming for its contrastwith her tall figure and air of thoroughbred repose, she turned back toher chair, and lightly motioned him to take the one before her. "I amhere on BUSINESS; otherwise I should not have dared to look in upon youat all."
She stopped, drew off her gloves with a provoking deliberation, whichwas none the less fascinating that it implied a demure consciousness ofinducing some impatience in the breast of her companion, stretched themout carefully by the fingers, laid them down neatly on the table,placed her elbows on her knees, slightly clasped her hands together, andbending forward, lifted her honest, handsome eyes to the man before her.
"Mr. Rushbrook, I have got between four and five hundred thousanddollars that I have no use for; I can control securities which can beconverted, if necessary, into a hundred thousand more in ten days. I amfree and my own mistress. It is generally considered that I know what Iam about--you admitted as much when I was your pupil. I have come hereto place this sum in your hands, at your free disposal. You know why andfor what purpose."
"But what do you know of my affairs?" asked Rushbrook, quickly.
"Everything, and I know YOU, which is better. Call it an investment ifyou like--for I know you will succeed--and let me share your profits.Call it--if you please--restitution, for I am the miserable cause ofyour rupture with that man. Or call it revenge if you like," she saidwith a faint smile, "and let me fight at your side against our commonenemy! Please, Mr. Rushbrook, don't deny me this. I have come threethousand miles for it; I could have sent it to you--or written--but Ifeared you would not understand it. You are smiling--you will take it?"
"I cannot," said Rushbrook, gravely.
"Then you force me to go into the Stock Market myself, and fight foryou, and, unaided by YOUR genius, perhaps lose it without benefitingyou."
Rushbrook did not reply.
"At least, then, tell me why you 'cannot.'"
Rushbrook rose, and looking into her face, said quietly with his olddirectness:--
"Because I love you, Miss Nevil."
A sudden instinct to rise and move away, a greater one to remain andhear him speak again, and a still greater one to keep back the bloodthat she felt was returning all too quickly to her cheek after the firstshock, kept her silent. But she dropped her eyes.
"I loved you ever since I first saw you at Los Osos," he went onquickly; "I said to myself even then, that if there was a woman thatwould fill my life, and make me what she wished me to be, it was you. Ieven fancied that day that you understood me better than any woman, oreven any man, that I had ever met before. I loved you through all thatmiserable business with that man, even when my failure to make you happywith another brought me no nearer to you. I have loved you always. Ishall love you always. I love you more for this foolish kindness thatbrings YOU beneath my roof once more, and gives me a chance to speak myheart to you, if only once and for the last time, than all the fortunethat you could put at my disposal. But I could not accept what you wouldoffer me from any woman who was not my wife--and I could not marryany woman that did not love me. I am perhaps past the age when I couldinspire a young girl's affection; but I have not reached the age when Iwould accept anything less." He stopped abruptly. Grace did not lookup. There was a tear glistening upon her long eyelashes, albeit a faintsmile played upon her lips.
"Do you call this business, Mr. Rushbrook?" she said softly.
"Business?"
"To assume a proposal declined before it has been offered."
"Grace--my darling--tell me--is it possible?"
It was too late for her to rise now, as his hands held both hers, andhis handsome mouth was smiling level with her own. So it really seemedto a dispassionate spectator that it WAS possible, and before she hadleft the room, it even appeared to be the most probable thing in theworld.
*****
The union of Grace Nevil and Robert Rushbrook was recorded by localhistory as the crown to his victory over the Ring. But only he and hiswife knew that it was the cause.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends