"
"Nina, what do you mean?"
"Nothing that you must know. I rejoice in my secret because it brings me
to you, and you to me. You degrade yourself by marrying me? You'll say
something else some day. Now, goodnight. I'm going back to Tester. He's
stone deaf, and he's waiting up for me. Good-night--good-night. No,
Loftus, I won't injure you. I injure those I hate, not those I love."
She kissed her hand to him. He tried to catch the slim fingers to press
them to his lips, but with a gay laugh she vanished, shutting the lodge
door after her. Loftus Bertram walked up the avenue with the queerest
sensation of terror and rejoicing.
CHAPTER XV.
JOSEPHINE LOOKED DANGEROUS.
In those days after her mysterious and secret visit to London Mrs.
Bertram was a considerably altered woman. All her life hitherto she had
enjoyed splendid health; she was unacquainted with headaches; neuralgia,
rheumatism, gout, the supposed banes of the present day, never troubled
her.
Now, however, she had absolutely an attack of the nerves. Mabel found
her mother, on coming to wish her good-morning one day, shivering so
violently that she could not complete her dressing. Loftus was not at
home. He had rejoined his regiment for a brief spell, so Catherine and
Mabel had to act on their own responsibility.
Pages:
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155