"It was to spare you, my darling," he said, "I was going to tell you last night, but I thought I would let you sleep in peace, and I kept the weary secret to myself, as I have done these three days." I heard him drearily. It was true then, an actual, dread reality. I summoned strength to ask-- "Why must we part, Cornelius?" "Why?" he echoed sadly. "You must not go, I will not let you," I exclaimed passionately, "or if you go, you must take me with you. I have money of my own; I will be no cost to you, but I will not leave you." He wanted to speak; I laid my hand on his lips. "I tell you that you must either stay at home or take me with you," I said wilfully, "I too want to see Spain." "Daisy, I am not going to Spain." "Where then? To Italy? What for? Who have you left there that is so very dear? Oh! I see! I see! Go, Cornelius, go." And I disengaged myself with wounded pride from the embrace he could find it in his heart to bestow, with that heart full--as I thought in the jealousy of the moment--of another. "That's right, Daisy!" he replied bitterly, "that's right! Make me feel to the end the fever and torment of the last two months." "Are you or are you not going away to marry?" I said, confronting him. "Marry!" he echoed in an impatient and irritated tone, "Marry! I don't think of it." A load was raised from my heart. I breathed. I again. His marriage was the only evil to which I could see no remedy. By the fright it had given me, I perceived how much I had dreaded it; but a vague instinct forbade me to show him this. I quickly changed the subject. "Take me with you," I said entreatingly, "I will give you no trouble." "Trouble! Oh, that indeed I were going away and you with me," he half groaned. "Blessed would be that trouble; too sweet, too delightful the task of bearing you away, alone with me, to some far land." "Cornelius," I said, "tell me all at once. Since you are not going away-- what is it?" "I suppose," he answered after a brief pause, "you know, though you have never alluded to it, that this park before us is your grandfather's; that the house of which we can discern the roof through this grove of elm and beech, is Thornton House. I am taking you there now." "But I shall go back to Rock Cottage with you?" I exclaimed eagerly. "I shall go to London with you, and live there in the house of Kate. Shall I not?" He did not answer; but he half averted his troubled face; his gaze shunned mine. "Cornelius," I said, clinging to him, "I will not go and live with Mr. Thornton, I will not. I don't love him, and I love you and Kate as my life. He treated me unkindly, and you took me and reared me. Unless you turn me out of your home, I will not leave it for his." I spoke with passion and vehemence; holding fast to him, as if to brave the power that would seek to divide us. "Do not speak so wildly," he replied in a soothing tone; "God knows I wish not to compel you--you are free. Daisy."