And a week after that, as they were standing together on the terrace,
looking toward the lake and the water-lilies, Hugh, leaning on the
coping, with a brighter look than usual on his wan face, spoke
cheerfully about the arrangements for the next day's journey.
He was far from well, she told him, sadly, and she hoped Saville would
take great care of him; and he must still follow Dr. Martin's
prescriptions, and that was all she said that night.
But the next day, when the servants were putting the portmanteaus on
the carriage, and Hugh went into the blue room to bid her good-bye,
all Fay's courage forsook her, and she said, piteously, "Oh, Hugh, are
you really going to leave me? Oh, Hugh, Hugh!" And, as the sense of
her loneliness rushed over her, she clung to him in a perfect anguish
of weeping. Sir Hugh's brow grew dark; he hated scenes, and especially
such scenes as these. In his weakness he felt unable to cope with
them, or to understand them.
"Fay," he said, remonstrating with her, "this is very foolish," and
Fay knew by his voice how vexed he was; but she was past minding it
now. In her young way she was tasting the bitterness of death. "My
dear," he continued, as he unloosened her hand from their passionate
grasp, and held them firmly in his, "do you know what a silly child
you are?" and then be relented at his own words, she was such a child.
"I told you before that I should never be well until I went away, but
you evidently did not believe me. Now I can not leave you like this,
for if you cry so you will make yourself ill; therefore, if you will
not let me go quietly, I can not go at all."
"No, no," she sobbed; "don't be so angry with me, Hugh, for I can not
bear it."
"Well, will you promise me to be a brave little woman and not fret
after me when I am gone?" he went on more gently. "It is only six
weeks, you know, Fay, and I have promised to be back in time."
"Yes, yes, I know you will," she answered, "and I will be good--indeed
I will, Hugh; only tell me you are not angry with me before you go,
and call me your Wee Wifie as you used when you first brought me
home;" and she held up her wet face to him as though she were a child
wanting to be kissed and forgiven.
"You foolish birdie," he said, laughing, but he kissed her more fondly
than he had done yet. "There, you will take care of yourself, my own
Wee Wifie, will you not, and write long letters to me, and tell me how
you are getting on."
"Yes, Hugh," she replied, quietly; and then he put her down from his
arms. She had taken the flower from his button-hole, and stood
fondling it long after he had driven off.
"Had you not better lie down, my lady?" Mrs. Heron said to her a
little while afterward, when she found her still standing in the
middle of the room; and she took hold of her gently, for she did not
like the look in my lady's eyes at all; and then she laid her down on
the couch, and never left her until she had fallen asleep, like a
child, for very trouble.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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