If I ask him he repels me, or laughs at me, and tells me I am
fanciful. That he has some secret trouble I have long known: his days are
unhappy, his nights restless; often when he thinks me asleep I am
listening to his sighs. I am glad you have come home; I have wanted a
true friend to confide these troubles to, and I could only speak of them
to one of the family."
"It sounds like a romance," cried Laura. "Some secret grief! What can it
be?"
They were interrupted by a commotion. Maude had been threading a splendid
ring all the colours of the rainbow, and now exhibited it for the benefit
of admiring beholders.
"Papa--Aunt Margaret--look at my ring."
Lord Hartledon nodded pleasantly at the child from his distant seat; Lady
Margaret appeared not to have heard; and Maude caught up a soft ball and
threw it at her aunt.
Unfortunately, it took a wrong direction, and struck the nodding dowager
on the nose. She rose up in a fury and some commotion ensued.
"Make me a ring, Maude," little Anne lisped when the dowager had subsided
into her chair again. Maude took no notice; her finger was still lifted
with the precious ornament.
"Can you see it from your sofa, Edward?"
The boy rose and stretched himself. "Pretty well. You have put it on the
wrong finger, Maude. Ladies don't wear rings on the little finger."
"But it won't go on the others," said Maude dolefully: "it's too small.
Pages:
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556