'
Her heart, which had been thumping with a sickening slowness,
quickened its beats. Perhaps she had been mistaken, perhaps his
serious manner was that of a great occasion, and she saw herself
returning to Nelson Lodge and treating her Aunt Rose with gentle tact.
'Shall we sit on the gate?' she asked.
'I'd rather walk across the field. I've been wanting to see you--since
that night. I owe you an apology.'
She dared not speak for fear of making a mistake, and she waited,
walking slowly beside him, her eyes downcast.
'An apology--for the whole thing,' he said.
She looked up. 'What whole thing?'
'The way I behaved with you.'
'Oh, that! I don't see why you should apologize,' she said.
'It wasn't fair. It wasn't even decent.'
'But it was a sort of habit with you, wasn't it?' she said
commiseratingly, and had the happiness of seeing his face flush. 'I
quite understand. And we were both amused.'
'I wasn't amused,' he said, 'not a bit, and I'm sorry I behaved as I
did. You were so young--and so pretty. Well, it's no good making
excuses, but I couldn't rest until I'd seen you and--humbled myself.'
'Did Aunt Rose tell you to say this?' she asked.
'Rose? Of course not. Why should she?'
'She seems to have an extraordinary power.'
'Yes, she has,' he said simply.
'And have you humbled yourself to her, too?'
'No. With her,' he said slowly, 'there was no need.'
'I see.' She laughed up at him frankly.
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