'I will not talk any more about it. We had better go down or we shall get no lunch.' Lady Mabel, as she followed him, tried to make herself believe that all her sorrow came from regret that so fine a scion of the British nobility should throw himself away upon an American adventuress.
The guests were still at lunch when they entered the dining-room, and Isabel was seated close to Mrs Jones. Silverbridge at once went up to her,--and place was made for him as though he had almost a right to be next to her. Miss Boncassen herself bore the honours well, seeming to regard the little change at table as though it was of no moment. 'I became so eager about that game,' she said, 'that I went on too long.'
'I hope you are now none the worse.'
'At six o'clock this morning I thought I should never use my legs again.'
'Were you awake at six?' said Silverbridge, with pitying voice.
'That was it. I could not sleep. Now I begin to hope that sooner or later I shall unstiffen.'
During every moment, at every word that he uttered, he was thinking of the declaration of love which he had made to her. But it seemed to him as though the matter had not dwelt on her mind.
When they drew their chairs away from the table he thought that not a moment was to be lost before some further explanation of their feelings for each other should be made. Was not the matter which had been so far discussed of vital importance for both of them? And, glorious as she was above all other women, the offer which he had made must have some weight with her. He did not think that he proposed to give more than she deserved, but still that which he was so willing to give was not a little. Or was it possible that she had not understood his meaning? If so, he would not willingly lose a moment before he made it plain to her. But she seemed content to hang about with the other women, and when she sauntered about the grounds seated herself on a garden-chair with Lady Mabel, and discussed with great eloquence the general beauty of Scottish scenery. An hour went on in this way. Could it be that she knew that he had offered to make her his wife? During this time he went and returned more than once, but still she was there, on the same garden-seat, talking to those who came in her way.
Then on a sudden she got up and put her hand on his arm. 'Come and take a turn with me,' she said. 'Lord Silverbridge, do you remember anything of last night?'
'Remember!'
'I thought for a while this morning that I would let it all pass as though it had been a mere trifling!'
'It would have wanted two to let it pass in that way,' he said, almost indignantly.
On hearing this she looked up at him, and there came over her face that brilliant smile, which to him was perhaps the most potent of her spells. 'What do you mean by wanting two?'
'I must have voice in it as well as you.'
'And what is your voice?'
'My voice is this. I told you last night that I loved you. This morning I ask you to be my wife.'
'It is a very clear voice,' she said,--almost in a whisper; but in a tone so serious that it startled him.
'It ought to be clear,' he said doggedly.
'Do you think I don't know that? Do you think that if I liked you well last night I don't like you better now?'
'But do you like me?'
'That is just the thing I am going to say nothing about.'
'Isabel!'
'Just the one thing I will not allude to. Now you must listen to me.'
'Certainly.'
'I know a great deal about you. We Americans are an inquiring people, and I have found out pretty much everything.' His mind misgave him as he felt she had ascertained his former purpose respecting Mabel. 'You,' she said, 'among young men in England are about the foremost, and therefore,--as I think,--about the foremost in the world. And you have all personal gifts;--youth and spirits--Well, I will not go on and name the others. You are, no doubt, supposed to be entitled to the best and sweetest of God's feminine creatures.'
'You are she.'
'Whether you be entitled to me or not I cannot yet say. Now I will tell you something of myself. My father's father came to New York as a labourer from Holland, and worked upon the quays in that city. Then he built houses, and became rich, and was almost a miser;--with the good sense, however, to educate his only son. What my father is you see. To me he is sterling gold, but he is not like your people. My dear mother is not at all like your ladies.
She is not a lady in your sense,--though with her unselfish devotion to others she is something infinitely better. For myself I am,--well, meaning to speak honestly, I will call myself pretty and smart. I think I know how to be true.'
'I am sure you do.'
'But what right have you to suppose I shall know how to be a Duchess?'
'I am sure you will.'
'Now listen to me. Go to your friends and ask them. Ask that Lady Mabel;--ask your father,--ask that Lady Cantrip. And above all, ask yourself. And allow me to require you to take three months to do this. Do not come to see me for three months.'
'And then?'
'What may happen then I cannot tell, for I want three months also to think of it myself. Till then, good-bye.' She gave him her hand and left it in his for a few seconds. He tried to draw her to him, but she resisted him, still smiling. Then she left him.
