Equally she felt that she could not confide in Ida or any one else,
lest she should be misjudged and thought to have encouraged the engineer
and his patron. To whom could she turn, sure of not being misunderstood? If
only Dermot had remained her friend!
She was torn with longings to know the truth about his relations with Ida.
The uncertainty was unbearable. That morning in her room she had boldly
attacked Ida and asked her frankly. The other woman made light of the whole
affair, pretended that Noreen had misunderstood her on that night in
Darjeeling, and laughed at the idea of any one imagining that she had ever
been in love with Dermot.
The girl was more puzzled than ever. Her heart ached for an hour or two
alone with her one-time friend of the forest. O to be out with him on
Badshah in the silent jungle, no matter what dangers encircled them!
Perhaps there the cloud between them would vanish. But could she not speak
to him here in the Palace? He seemed to be no longer fascinated with Ida,
if indeed he ever had been. She could tell him of the Rajah's insult. He
would advise her what to do, for she was sure that he would not misjudge
her. And perhaps--who knew?--her confiding in him might break down the wall
that separated them. She forgot that it had been built by her own
resentment and anger, and that she had eluded his attempts to approach her.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313