England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
"No," she said, honestly, "I certainly did not care for him like that.
I was even almost glad to think he _had_ suffered a little. For though,
of course, he was not the least atom in the world in love with me, _he_
was unselfish. I know he was dreadfully sorry for me. But, after all,
if it was more the mortification than--than any better feeling, how does
that help me?"
"Because it is so clearly _wrong_--even `lowering,' to use your own
word--and it should be and must be so possible for you to throw it off
and start afresh."
Imogen raised her head; there was something inspiriting in the last
words.
"What should I do?" she asked gently, but eagerly too.
And an earnest consultation followed.
The next day was rainy. Then came Saturday, fine and mild again--the
last but one of the Wentworths' stay at Tormouth. Imogen stole down for
a few minutes to the sheltered nook where she had found her new friend.
Yes, she was there.
"I felt that I must see you--for a moment," said the girl, "though I
cannot stay, and I know you have friends coming to see you to-day. But
I _had_ to thank you again, and I want to tell you that I have told my
mother I will do exactly what she wishes; so we are going to London on
Monday to look for a house, and poor mamsey is so pleased. And I am
going to follow your advice about everything. I am not going to be idle
and useless any more."
The tears were in the stranger's eyes by this time.
"Dear child," she said, "I am so glad."
"Would you like to know my name?" the girl went on simply. "I thought
at first I could not bear to tell it you; but if that is foolish and
false pride, and if you would tell me yours?"
"No, dear," the invalid replied. "Do not tell it to me. And I will not
tell you mine. I think it would a little spoil the charm of our
friendship, and there _might_ come times at which you would wish you had
not confided in me. No, I shall _never_ forget you. And you may feel
that your secret is as safe as it can be, for--"
"I know what you are going to say, but please don't. You _may_ get
better for a while: do let me think so."
The dying girl shook her head, though she smiled--yes, her own sweet
smile. And this was Imogen's last remembrance of her. So when, some
few months later, in the daily list of deaths came the name of "Eveleen,
only surviving daughter of General Sir Jocelyn Lesley, etc, etc, aged
28," it called forth no remark from the girl whose eye it caught for a
moment, save that of "`Eveleen Lesley.' What a pretty name! And
Eveleen spelt the Irish way."
"Is it a marriage?" asked Mrs Wentworth across the table.
"No," Imogen replied, with a softened tone in her voice, "it's somebody
dead. But not a very young girl."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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